


Where Everything Started

by Babs97



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Arthur's Low Self Esteem, F/M, Fluff and Smut, It's gonna be a long story, Love, Loyalty, Lust, Romance, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, no TB
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2019-10-08 03:23:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 45,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17378663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babs97/pseuds/Babs97
Summary: Piper has a run-in with the Van der Linde gang, and becomes attached to a certain gang member.Long story, with many more chapters to come!Throughout their journey together, Piper manages to get Arthur to give love a second chance.Romance and smut, the story of Piper and Arthur's bonding and eventual love. Mostly follows the story of the game, and gets intense at times!





	1. Chapter 1

I wake to the deafening sound of gunshots. Panic claws its way into my chest and tries to erupt as a scream from my throat. I bite my lip to suffocate my faint whimpers, shaking violently. Sweat beads on my brow. I flex my wrists, which respond to the motion with a burning pain. My rope restraints are cutting into my tender flesh, soaking up the blood that result from useless struggling. I breathe through my nose, trying to slow my rapid heartbeat. A moment passes. Then another, agonizingly slow. I exhale a shaky breath, finally feeling somewhat safe. I soak in the warmth of the fire in front of me. I drop my head to my chest, sinking down to my knees. The feel of the damp earth against my skin soothes me. Something whizzes past my head. A loud crack vibrates the tree I’m tied to. I suck in a quick breath, not daring to move. Silence follows. I turn my head as much as I can and see a bullet hole mere inches from my head. Then I hear more gunshots and shouting. I hear muffled footsteps behind me. Leaves crunching, twigs snapping. I hear a blade being unsheathed from leather, ever so quietly. I close my eyes, awaiting pain or death, I’m not sure which. I cringe when I hear the sound of splitting rope. The tension around my wrists lessens. The blade is sheathed. Shallow breathing. Then a hand, gingerly reaching around the trunk of the tree. I stay perfectly still, fearing it’s my captors. I don’t look, I know what’s about to happen. I grit my teeth, preparing to be yanked up by my hair, have my face bloodied by rough and angry hands. I prepare for the shouting, the slew of questions which I refuse to answer. My heart beats in my chest. One beat. Two beats. I slowly turn my head, looking down at the hand creeping forward cautiously. In a split decision that I decide is probably stupid, I take off in a sprint. I hear a man curse under his breath. He doesn’t sound like my captors. I don’t care, I keep running. My legs burn, begging me to stop, but I push on. I hear someone running behind me. Fear seizes my body and I falter, tumbling over my own feet, hitting the ground with a painful smack. “ _Christ,_ lady. Wasn’t sure I was gonna catch up with you.” The voice is close, too close. I attempt to stand but my legs scream at me in protest. “I’m not going to hurt you” the voice continues. “Please don’t hit me again.” I grimace. A pause. Then, “I ain’t gonna hit you. I ain’t with those men.” I finally look up. A man is standing in front of me, slightly out of breath. He holds up his hands, showing me he’s sincere. I look him up and down, analyzing his silhouette. He’s tall, and his frame is very broad and muscular. I can’t see much of anything else because of the darkness outside. “I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise.” He says again. He offers me a hand. I dismiss it as I stand up, wincing from the pain in my legs. I take a breath and look around. “So…who are you?” I ask, arching an eyebrow. I rub my stinging wrists. He takes a step towards me, and then stills when I take a step back. “My name is Arthur—” we both jump as another gunshot is fired. “We need to get you out of here.” His voice is stern but gentle. He touches my arm, trying to guide me away from the gunfire. I sidestep his hand, shaking my head. “Uh, what do you think you’re doing?” He blinks at me. “Gettin’ you out of here?” I snort. “I don’t need your help. I can handle myself.” Right as the words leave my mouth, a bullet collides with my thigh. “Ah, fuck!” I stumble and grab the wound with both hands, watching as dark blood spills between my fingers. “You sure?” He huffs impatiently. I narrow my eyes at him. “Just come on.” He sounds annoyed. “ _No.”_ I say through gritted teeth as I start to hobble away from him. “It’s not that bad, I can still walk.” I can feel him watching me. “You’re gonna get yourself killed, miss.” I roll my eyes and continue limping away from him. “Oh for Christ’s—this is ridiculous.” He comes up behind me and slips an arm around my waist. He instructs me to wrap my arm around his torso and lean on him for support. I shake my head. “Why you gotta be so damn _stubborn?_ ” “I don’t _know_ you for starters, mister. How am I s’posed to know you ain’t like those men that captured me, or worse?” I hear him sigh. “You’re just gonna have to trust me.  Have faith that I ain’t like those men.” He chuckles softly. “I sound like Dutch.” He muses to himself. “Who the hell is Dutch?” I ask. “you’ll meet him soon enough.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated, this is my first long story! :)

The next few minutes are a blur. My vision starts getting fuzzy from pain and blood loss. I start to slump. I hear a rip, then feel a tight pressure around my thigh. I wince with pain. I look around, feeling dizzy and out of it. “The hell are you doin’?” I say as I try to keep my balance. “Arthur?” I continue, becoming annoyed. “I’m right here.” He’s kneeled in front of me, tying cloth around my wound. “Had to stop the bleeding.” I look down, my dress is torn. “My dress!” I try to push him away from me but I feel too weak. “Would you rather bleed out then?”  He huffs. I wobble. “I don’ feel too good.” “Yea I can see that. C’mon, it ain’t much farther back to camp.” “Camp?” I ask curiously. Suddenly the dizziness becomes unbearable, and the ground rushes up to meet me, then everything fades.

I wake up to sunlight filtering through the flaps of a tent. I’m on a cot, there’s a cup of water on the ground next to me. I sit up, grimacing when I look down at my leg. Blood has soaked through the cloth. I lean over the side of the bed and pick up the tin cup. I lift it to my chapped lips and drink it greedily, feeling relief as the cool liquid alleviates my parched throat. “Look who’s up” Arthur’s lips twitch into a small smile as he enters the tent. I set down the cup and stare at him. He’s holding white cloth and some sort of herbal tonic in his arms. He shifts uncomfortably. “Gotta change your bandage.” He motions to my leg. “Oh you mean the cloth that you ripped from my dress?” I quirk an eyebrow, still staring at him. He rolls his eyes. “Listen lady, I was doin’ you a favor.” He comes closer, and kneels down beside the cot. This is the first time I get a good look at him in the light. He has a handsome face, covered in a short, trimmed beard. His hair is very dark blonde? Light brown? I can’t figure it out but I decide I like it. He looks up at me, strands of hair falling in front of his eyes. He runs a hand through his hair, smoothing it back. I stifle a gasp. His eyes are so beautiful. Bluish-green irises outlined in a darker shade of blue. His dark lashes flutter as he blinks at me. “What’re you staring at me like that for? Can you just lay your leg flat so I can change these damn bandages?” His scowl annoys me, and so I scowl too. I lay out my leg and watch curiously as his hands untie the bandage. I yelp as he removes the bandage from my leg, the cloth sticking to the wound. “Sorry.” He looks up at me, looking sincere. He opens the bottle of tonic and pours some onto a clean piece of cloth, cleaning out the wound on my leg and the cuts from the rope on my wrists. I bite my lip to keep from whimpering in pain. He focuses on my leg again. “Good news is that the bullet went through clean. Bad news is that this’ll still hurt like a bitch and take a little while to heal. It’ll leave a hell of a scar too; it’ll be an interestin’ story to tell.” He chuckles. I narrow my eyes, looking at the tonic in his hand. “You sure seem to know a lot about this stuff. You a doctor?” The corner of his mouth lifts into a smile. “Nah, just have had the unfortunate experience of being shot a lot.” His eyes meet mine. He wraps my thigh with gentle hands and ties it off. “Looks good.” He stands up to leave but then turns back. “What’s your name anyhow?” I furrow my brows together. “Abner. Piper Abner.” He nods, “welcome to camp, Miss Abner.” I watch as he leaves the tent, sitting on the cot for a little while longer. I look around in bewilderment, trying to figure out where I am. The air feels hot and sticky, familiar. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, slipping on my shoes that lay beside the tin cup. I stand up slowly, testing out my weight on my bad leg. I wait a few moments before I put my full weight on my leg, making me yelp and curse under my breath. When the pain has subsided, I exit the tent and look around the camp. Many people are milling about, talking and laughing, eating stew. I watch a small boy playing with a dog. Whatever this is, it seems nice. I continue looking around, and then lock eyes with Arthur from across the grass clearing. I offer him a meek smile, still unsure if I can trust him or not, though I want to. He walks over to me, and clears his throat. “Feeling better?” he asks. I shrug, “somewhat.” “Well let me introduce you to the camp.” He points out everyone in the group, telling me their names one by one. The last person he points out is a man with crossed arms and slicked black hair. He’s wearing a velvet vest with a gold chain attached to it. He’s eyeing me carefully, and I find that he makes me nervous. “That’s Dutch. He’s kind of like the leader of the camp.” I hesitate, “is this some sort of cult then?” I ask, eyeing Arthur. He snickers, “no, not at all. Dutch’ll explain. He wants to talk with you.” Arthur ushers me over to the large tent Dutch is standing in front of. Dutch offers me a smile, but it feels cold. “Dutch, this is Miss Piper Abner. We found her in that Lemoyne Raider camp last night tied to a tree. We—” “Thank you, Arthur.” Dutch interjects, never removing his gaze from me. “I’ll take it from here. You just wait outside the tent.” Arthur nods and leans against a wooden support beam. Dutch touches the small of my back, ushering me into his tent. It’s the nicest one I’ve ever seen. Animal pelt rugs lay on the wooden floor, a gramophone sits in the corner atop some books, and wine and liquor rest on a wooden chest. “So, Miss Abner,” he sits us down on the edge of his bed. “I’ve got a few questions for you.” I can feel my heart beating in my chest, I feel uneasy. I nod, waiting for him to go on. “Where are you from?” I quirk an eyebrow. It seems like a strange question to ask. “Uhh, I’m from Bluewater Marsh. Why do you ask?” “I want to know how you ended up with the Raiders is all. Why did they want you?” He leans closer to me, searching my face as I continue talking to him. “I don’t know why they wanted me.” I lie. Dutch sees right through me. “Seems like they wanted something from you, considering you’re covered in bruises and cuts. Seems like they was interrogatin’ you.” I swallow but stay silent. “I’m givin’ you the chance to tell me, miss.” “Why does it matter? Why do _you_ want to know?” Dutch clasps his hands together in his lap. “We ain’t on the best of terms with the Raiders.” I snort. “Is anyone?” Dutch just narrows his eyes, and I bite my lip, deciding Dutch isn’t in the joking mood. “Tell me what I want to know, and you can walk out of here and forget this ever happened.” My eyes widen. “Who are you people?” He smiles and inhales through his nose, leaning back. “Tell me what I want to know and I’ll tell you what you want to know.” I fidget with my hands nervously but finally sigh. “They were looking for that gold that everyone ‘round here talks about, but it’s just a rumor.” I meet his eyes. He doesn’t seem satisfied with that answer. “Why would they want you for that?” he questions. “Supposedly my Pa had something to do with it during the war. The Raiders think he took it. Thing is, he’s been dead for a couple years now, and even if he were still alive, he’d never tell me where it was.” I scowl, thinking of my father. “I don’t believe it’s real, mister. The Raiders took me because I’m the only child of my Pa. My mother died during childbirth with me a few years after the war ended. My pa was never a real nice man. Liked to drink and was angry too. He’d hit me a lot, saying I was the reason Ma was dead. He blamed me for a lot of things, even as a real young girl. He used to mutter about gold, but he was a drunk sir, he was always deliriously drunk.” I look at the floor, watching an ant lazily crawl across the floorboards. “I’m sorry about your predicament with your family, miss.” I look up at Dutch, I can’t tell if he’s sincere or not. “Why did the Raiders take you now? After all this time?” he asks quietly. I shrug. “Lots of folk been looking for that gold even before the war. People always talk about it. I s’pose someone finally told ‘em I was the daughter of the man that supposedly found this gold and they came lookin’ for me.” Dutch nods. “I was only in their camp a couple days. How did you all find me anyway?” Dutch slowly lets out a breath. “Well miss, I suppose it’s my turn to tell you about me.” He pauses to collect himself. “We were lookin’ for that gold too. See, we’re a rival gang of the Lemoyne Raiders. They don’t like us much, coming into their territory like we have. We’ve been following leads, same as them. Just got lucky stumbling into one of their camps last night and saw you tied to that tree. Ended in a shootout, all of ‘em dead. But not before I made em’ tell me who you were. Took a fair amount of convincing, but they eventually complied, telling me who your father was. Never actually gave me your name though.” He smiles. I shudder. “So you all gon’ beat me for information too?” Dutch shakes his head. “We ain’t the best people, but we ain’t that low neither. Seems like you really don’t know where your father hid that gold.” “ _If_ there is any gold in the first place.” I interject, to which he nods, seeming unconvinced. “Right, _if_ there is any gold.” He stands, “Well miss, a promise is a promise. You can go on home.” Then he leans dangerously close to me, his face darkening. “But if you tell anyone about this, who we are, or where we are, we _will_ come find you, and you’ll wish you’d been killed by the Raiders at that camp. Understood?” I gulp, nodding. I exit the tent, feeling dazed. Arthur is still leaned up against the tent, looking at me. I feel sick. All of these people are outlaws. Arthur is an outlaw. They’re probably no better than the Lemoyne Raiders. Arthur offers me an apologetic look and follows me back to the tent I had slept in. “I’m sorry ‘bout that. Dutch ain’t been himself lately. He ain’t usually that menacing.” I stare at Arthur blankly. I shake my head, my long brunette locks falling into my eyes. I sit down on the edge of the bed, taking the weight off my leg momentarily. “He told me I can go home. But I can’t go home. The Raiders burned down my cabin when they took me. If I go back out there now, the rest of ‘em you didn’t kill will surely find me.” Arthur leans against the hitching post in front of my tent, arms crossed in front of his broad chest, one foot crossed over the other, the toe of his boot planted in the soil so that his heel is in the air. He seems to ponder my predicament for a moment. I bury my face in my hands. “You could stay with us, if you want?” I look up at him in disbelief. “With a bunch of outlaws?” His looks down at the ground. “We may be outlaws, but we’re not all bad people, miss.” I shake my head. “And you? What’s your story?” Arthur looks at me for a brief moment, then looks away. “Been with Dutch since I was a kid….I had a bad father too.” He stares at his boots. “I ain’t a good man but I know how it feels to be alone.” He offers me an empathetic look. My heart flutters. _He understands._ I study his handsome face. He seems honest, and I decide that I trust him a little bit more now. His eyes dart away when he sees me studying him, his face flushing slightly. “Just give it some thought, staying I mean. I think it’s your best option.” With that, he gives me a nod and walks away.


	3. Chapter 3

I flop back on the cot, feeling confused. I don’t know what else to do so I fall back to sleep. This time, it’s nighttime when I wake. As I exit my tent, I see everyone is gathered around the campfire, drinks in hand. People are laughing and dancing. I decide to join them. As I approach, people turn to look at me. Arthur is sitting on a log between a beautiful blonde woman in trousers and an older man. Arthur had told me their names were Sadie and Hosea. Arthur looks up at me from across the fire, smiling. _Beautiful_. My heart flutters again just from seeing him smile. I sit between Tilly and Miss Grimshaw. I formally introduce myself to everyone. They seem very welcoming. Dutch isn’t around the campfire, and I feel relieved not to be near him right now. Arthur catches my attention, holding up a bottle. “You want some?” he asks. “What is it?” “Whiskey.” I pause then smile, accepting his offer. I catch the bottle he tosses to me and open the cap. I take a swig and immediately wince. “Gah, that’s disgusting.” People laugh and Arthur chuckles with them, watching me. The night continues on, and I can't remember the last time I've felt this lighthearted. I finish my bottle of whiskey and ask Arthur for another. He raises his eyebrows at me, laughing. “You sure you can handle it?” I swat the air, stumbling a bit. “Course I can hannle whiskey.” I slur. He chuckles again but hands me another bottle which I down quickly. “This sure helps wi’ the pain.” I hiccup, pointing to my leg. People start to disperse from around the fire, but Arthur and I remain. “Goodnight mister Morgan.” Miss Grimshaw winks, “keep an eye on her.” “I will Miss Grimshaw.” I scoot over to his log, teetering slightly. “Woah now,” he laughs. He puts his arm out to steady me. “You—you’re a goo’ man Arthur.” I look at him, still swaying on the log. _He’s so attractive. God when was the last time I was with a man?_ I can’t focus on anything but him. I want to reach out and touch him. I feel so warm and tingly from the alcohol. Arthur smiles, “Nah, you’re just drunk.” His eyes meet mine. “You’re a beautiful man.” I slur, and start to laugh. “yea you’re definitely drunk.” He laughs with me. I rest my hand on his shoulder, leaning close to whisper in his ear. “Mmm I wanna kih.” I hiccup again. He looks at me, smiling, “I didn’t quite catch that” he confesses. I smile, “I wanna kiss you.” I remove my lips from his ear, focusing instead on his mouth. Our faces draw nearer to each other. “Miss Abner, I don’t think you know what you’re saying.” I shake my head adamantly. “Oh yes I do. I do I do! And my name is Piper. Call me Piper.” I can barely understand my own words at this point because I’m slurring so badly. “I think we should get you to bed.” He stands, lifting me to my feet. I sway and he rests his big hands around my waist, balancing me. “Nooooo” I whine. “I don’ wanna go to bed. I wan’ kiss you.” He guides me to my tent, shaking his head and chuckling. I pout at him, “my leg hurts. I think my bandage needs to be changed.” He quirks his eyebrow at me, “I thought the whiskey was helping with that?” I laugh drunkenly. “No no no, it needs to be changed.” He sighs when we reach the tent but lays me down on the cot. He turns around and starts to leave. “Arthurrrrrr. Where ya going?” I roll around on the bed, not being able to stay still. “I’m just getting the supplies for your leg.” He leaves and I continue to whine and call out for him. A moment later I hear the flaps of the tent open. “Damnit, I am right _here._ ” I roll back over, and see him standing at the foot of my bed with bandages and tonic in his arms. “ _Finally!_ ” I squeal. “Shhhh, you’ll wake the whole camp.” Arthur scolds. I spread my legs on the bed, earning a surprised look from Arthur. I smirk, liking the way he reacted. Arthur bends over the bed, closing my legs. “Jesus, Piper. I’m just here to fix up your leg.” “Do you think I’m pretty?” I coo, biting my lip. Arthur sighs but doesn’t answer. “Arthurrrrr.” He looks up at me. “Yes, I think you’re very pretty. Now sit still.” I sit up so that he can work on my leg. As he undoes the bandage I slowly unbutton my blouse, watching him. He’s so focused on my wound that he doesn’t notice when I let the shirt slip off my shoulders. The cool air hardens my nipples and covers my skin in goosebumps. I lean back, placing my palms behind me. I try to get his attention by wiggling my leg. He huffs in frustration. “Piper I’m trying to—” He looks up and his mouth falls slightly open. His face reddens as his eyes roam over my breasts. I smile, reveling in the way he looks at me. “Piper…don’t do this right now.” I cock my head, looking at the slight bulge in his pants. “Mmmm, seems like you do want this right now.” He reaches out, and I arch my back to meet his touch, but then he’s buttoning my blouse back up. I huff in annoyance and flop down. Arthur finishes up with my bandage and looks me over once more. “You are gonna be so hungover tomorrow.” He muses. He covers me with a blanket and leaves my tent. I close my eyes, already feeling a headache coming on, but I fall asleep anyways.   


	4. Chapter 4

_It feels like my skull is splitting. Good god that light is bright._ I roll over and cover my head with the pillow to block out the morning hues filtering through the tent flaps. _Fuck, the pain in my leg has nothing on this headache._ A deep voice makes the pounding in my head worse, “Stew is ready!” I guess that’s Pearson, the camp cook. I lay on the cot, my head still under the pillow, deciding whether or not I should get up when I hear a rustle of canvas. “Go away” I groan. I hear chuckling, it’s Arthur. “Sounds like you don’t feel too good.” I moan in agreement. I hear him kneel beside the cot. “You need to eat something. I’ve got some herbs I can mix with water to help that headache.” I partially uncover my face from the pillow, still laying on my stomach. “Don’t ever let me drink again.” He smiles. “You remember much from last night?”

“I remember sittin’ ‘round the campfire, everyone was laughing and dancing. I remember you tossing me some whiskey.” He exhales through his nose, laughing lightly. “That all you remember?” I look at him, confused. “Yes….did something happen?” His smile broadens and he scratches his beard. “Nah, nothin’ happened.” _Thank god. I was worried I might’ve done something stupid._

He stands, offering me his hand. “C’mon. We gotta get you feelin’ better. Dutch wants to speak with you.”

“Ugggghhhh. _No._ He scares me, honestly.”

“I can tell, but he ain’t all that bad. C’mon, you’ll be fine.” He smiles and he helps me up, I’m covering my eyes with my hand. “Why is it so damn _bright?_ ” I wince. “Tends to be bright during the day, you know, ‘cuz of the sun.” my mouth twitches into a smile, I take my hand away from my eyes, squinting. “You’re a sarcastic ass, you know.” He laughs and helps me out of the tent. He guides me over to the table, where a bowl of stew is waiting for me. “Well, shit. Didn’t think I’d see you up ‘til at least the afternoon.” Lenny jokes. “You got mighty drunk last night, miss.” I take a bite of stew, “I can definitely feel my bad choices” I groan, pointing to my head. Lenny chuckles. I continue to eat, draining my bowl of delicious stew. I look up when Arthur nears the table, handing me a tin full of herbal water. I smile in appreciation and down it quickly. It tastes minty and cools my throat. I can already feel my headache subsiding. “Mmm what is this? It’s really good.” He adjusts his hat. “Peppermint.” I nod and put the tin down. Arthur clears his throat, “You ready to see Dutch?” I look down at my empty bowl and nod begrudgingly. I walk over towards Dutch’s tent and take a deep breath. Dutch looks up from a book he’s reading. “Ah, Miss Abner. Come, sit.” He motions to a chair next to him. I sit down and fidget with my hands nervously. Dutch seems to notice but doesn’t comment on it. “So I hear Mister Morgan has offered you the chance to stay.”

I gulp. “Yes sir, the Raiders burned down my cabin when they took me and I don’t have any place to go. Mister Morgan was kind enough to let me stay here if I choose to.” Dutch seems to consider this, scratching his chin. “Alright, I’ll offer you a deal. You help us find this gold, and you can stay.” I scrunch my face in thought. “Sir, I really don’t think there’s any gold.” Dutch scowls, “If you help us find the gold, you can stay.” He repeats slowly. I nod quickly, “Yes, yes I can do that. Thank you for letting me stay.” He goes back to reading his book so I stand up and head back to the table. Arthur offers me a promising smile. “How’d it go?” he asks earnestly. I fill him in on the details. “Arthur, I honestly don’t think there’s any gold. What am I gonna do if he just keeps looking for it forever?” Arthur tilts his head, “Guess you’ll just have to stay with us. Just as long as you help him look.” He smirks. “I don’t think the gold is real neither, miss. Just try to keep Dutch happy and I think all will be fine. Now let’s look at that gunshot wound on your thigh.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? I'm insecure about my writing style, but I hope y'all are enjoying the story so far! :)

The next few weeks are spent following leads, which all result in disappointment. Even if any of the locals know anything, they’re too afraid of the repercussions with the Raiders to share the information. With no new leads, Dutch seems to dislike me even more. I don’t know what his deal is. Arthur said he’s been off lately. Everyone here seems so loyal to him, it makes me wonder what he used to be like. I’m getting along with mostly everyone in camp, being closest with Arthur. The only person, besides Dutch, that I’m not too fond of is Micah. He seems like a real dick, and everyone else seems to think so too. My thoughts are interrupted when Hosea calls to me. “Hey, Miss Abner! Arthur and I are gonna do a job if you wanna come along? See what this life is really all about? I must warn you, it’s not always so glamorous.” He smiles and I snicker. I like him, he seems like a good guy.

“Sure, why not?” I hop up from the log I’m sitting on and join Arthur and Hosea by a wagon. Hosea explains the plan to me. “Y’all are gonna give out Braithwaite liquor in Rhodes?! Are you crazy?! You do not want to get mixed up with those families, trust me. They’re nuts.” Arthur gives a sideways glance to Hosea and rubs the back of his neck. “Uhhh I think it’s a little late for that.” He looks up, his dazzling eyes watching me under the brim of his hat. I roll my eyes. “You know I’m pretty sure the Raiders work for those Braithwaites.” I say nervously. “I don’t wanna get on their bad side any more than I already am.” Hosea seems to consider this. “We’ll protect ya. Dutch says you need to pull your weight around camp if you wanna stay.”

“Are you serious? He told me I had to find his gold to stay.”

Hosea shrugs, “Guess it’s both now.” Hosea offers me an apologetic look and then helps me onto the wagon. He and Arthur sit on either side of me and the wagon lurches forward.

 

 

I wait on the wagon, elbows on my knees, head propped up in my hands. _I’m so bored. What’s taking them so long in there?_ Just as the thought crosses my mind, Hosea and Arthur re-emerge from the Braithwaite house. Then we’re on the way to Rhodes. They tell me their plan. “So where do I come in on all this? I know it may come as a shocker to you, but I ain’t much of a rough woman.” Arthur half smiles at that. Hosea speaks up, “just sit at the bar and observe this time around. Get a feel for the job.” Arthur pulls on the reins, stopping us behind the saloon. “Oh and uh, try to not drink _too_ much.” Arthur smiles. “What's that supposed to mean?” I ask. “Nothin’.” He shakes his head, laughing.

 

I watch as Arthur pours shots effortlessly. I laugh at his appearance, big hat, pipe, his jaw jutted out. _How is he still so attractive when he’s dressed up like this?_ I sigh. _I guess it’s just him._ I smile against the glass as I take another shot. Warmth pools in my stomach, and I feel calm. I prop my head up in my palm, watching Arthur. _He doesn’t seem like much of an outlaw. Why does he think he’s such a bad man?_ As I’m swooning over him, a drunk man comes up to me at the bar. “Hey there pretty lady.” He slurs. Arthur looks up from pouring shots. “Hey! Hey Fenton! Why’d you stop pouring shots?” one man yells. At the other end of the bar another man pipes up, “Over here Fenton! I’m dyin’ of thirst!” Arthur still watches me, not listening to the other people in the saloon. I don’t notice him looking at me though, because this drunk man gets a little too personal for my liking. “Hmm you look real nice, lady. How much you cost?”

I gasp. His eyes roam me over, then linger on my chest. He licks his lips. “I think I’d like to see you without that fabric gettin’ in my way.” He moves to grope me, but Arthur reaches over the bar and grabs the man by his collar. “Leave her alone, she ain’t no prostitute.” The man sneers at Arthur. “Thought you was a mute, friend.” Arthur grimaces, realizing he’s blown his cover.

“This ain’t none of your business anyhow, so get lost.” The man says before trying to wrench free of Arthur’s grip. Whatever is about to happen next is interrupted as doors bang open and boots thud on wood. I turn my head slowly to see a posse of very angry looking Raiders. _Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit._ I try to take a breath, but can’t seem to find any air. I’m petrified. Arthur lets go of the man, who quickly scurries off. “That’s our liquor.” One of the Raiders booms. Arthur takes the pipe out of his mouth and tries to get as close to me as he can without being seen. He whispers to me, “Get down. Now.” I look up at him. He’s got a fire in his eyes, a determination, an anger. I gulp. It scares me but also kind of…excites me. My head turns back towards the doors, watching the group of men. I realize I've been looking for too long as one of the Raiders squints and looks at my face. Suddenly his eyes widen, “H-hey, isn’t that—?” A shot is fired. I glance around quickly and see that it’s Hosea who’s fired the first shot. He’s giving me a stern look that means _run._ I cover my ears and yelp as bullets fly through the air, colliding with wooden beams, human flesh, glass bottles. I duck and try to crawl behind the bar to where Arthur is. Right as I round the corner of the bar, I hear the sound of splintering wood. A bullet shot just mere inches from where I am. _Oh god._ Arthur yells down to me over the gunfire. “Piper! You ok? Are you hurt?” I shake my head to both questions. _No I’m not ok, and no I’m not hurt._ Behind the safety of the bar I watch Arthur, transfixed. He has both of his revolvers pulled out, firing them rapidly. It takes him almost no time at all to reload them. A loud thud startles me. I hear metal skidding across the floor. I peek around the safety of my wooden shelter and see a dead Raider, his smoking gun a few feet away from him. I bite my lip, determined, and then lurch forward and grab the gun. It’s been a long time, but I remember how to shoot a gun. _Right?_ I start standing up and Arthur shoots me a wild look. “Piper! What are you doing? Get down!”

I shake my head furiously. “I can help!”

“Now is not the time to be stubborn!” but before he can say another word I’m running out from behind the cover of the bar.


	6. Chapter 6

“Piper! _Damnit!_ ” Arthur shoots a few more Raiders, still trying to watch and cover me. I ascend the staircase, blood pumping in my ears so hard it hurts. I feel like I’m going to go deaf, and all I see below are bodies littering the floor of the saloon, soaking up their own blood. I shudder. I continue to climb and then find a good position against the bannister. “Heads up!” I yell to Hosea and Arthur. “What the hell is she—” They both look up at me, losing focus on the enemies below. I fire a warning shot into the air. “Hey!” I yell as loud as I can muster. “You recognize me?” a few heads turn in my direction, craning their necks to look up at me. I steal a glance at Arthur, who’s scowling, his brow furrowed in anger? Concern? I doubt he’s gonna like what I’m about to do next. I focus my gaze back on the Raiders. “You sorry sons-of-bitches got any more questions for me about my Daddy’s gold?” I sneer. Their faces turn dark in the realization of who I am and that I’m the reason some of their gang is dead. Two Raiders start rushing the stairs, and I shoot one of them, hitting him in the arm at first but getting him straight through the heart on the second shot. _Not bad. I guess I do remember a thing or two about shooting a gun._ The second one is too close now for me to shoot so I start running, still insulting the Raiders on the first floor to try to get them to follow me. I’m trying to give Arthur and Hosea the chance to get back to the wagon, where I’m hoping I can meet up with them. Arthur yells my name while he and Hosea continue to shoot at the Raiders following me. I’m quickly being surrounded, suffocating from the fear that my plan may backfire. I run down the carpeted hallway towards double doors that lead to the stairs outside. I still hear Arthur shouting my name. I shout back while reloading my gun, still running. “Get down to the wagon! I’ll meet you there!” As I’m nearing the doors, two men bust through, blocking my exit. _Fuck. This is it for me._ I shoot them, but I know the Raiders behind me will catch me, and will likely continue to torture me for information until they kill me. At least Hosea and Arthur are safe.  Suddenly, I see a dark silhouette through the window running up the stairs outside. _More Raiders?! How many people do they have?!_ I cock my pistol, ready to fire, when Arthur reaches the top of the stairs. “Get down!” He yells at me. I drop to the floor as Arthur unloads shot after shot into the men pursuing me until they’re all dead. I look up at him, he’s shaking with anger. He takes a breath and holsters his weapons, then looks down at me and offers me a hand. “That was the absolute _dumbest_ thing you could have done.” He scolds me, shaking his head. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?”

I scowl. “What I was _trying_ to do was give you two a chance to escape. It was me they wanted. I figured _if_ I made it, I’d run outside and meet you back at the wagon. I stand without taking his hand. His scowl deepens, “Don’t do that again.” I start to protest but he cuts me off. “Get back to the wagon. Now.” I trudge down the stairs like a scorned child, muttering under my breath. _Why was he such a dick about that? I was trying to help them._ When I reach the wagon, I climb onto the driver’s seat next to Hosea, crossing my arms and staring straight ahead. “I think it was mighty brave what you did for us, miss.” Hosea says. “Thank you.” I turn to look at Hosea, “why was Arthur being such a jerk about it? He yelled at me.” Hosea smiles, “that’s his way of showing he cares.” Heat creeps up my neck, and I look away so Hosea doesn’t see me blush. Him caring about me or not, I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind later about how he acted. When Arthur climbs back onto the wagon next to me, I can feel his eyes on me but I don’t look at him. I’m too mad with him.

 

I hop down off the wagon when we get back to camp. I scowl and skulk off towards the campfire, sitting next to Sadie. I huff and cross my arms over my chest. “What’s the matter with you?” she asks me, the twang in her voice heavy. I turn to her, “Arthur yelled at me for trying to save his stupid ass.”

She snorts. “Sounds like him.” I tell her about the saloon, and the Raiders showing up. “Hey, I would’ve done the same thing. Don’t mind him, he’s just grumpy sometimes. Besides,” she pauses, looking up at me, “I think it’s pretty clear why he was upset.” I roll my eyes, “Yea, Hosea said it means he cares.” Sadie considers this, then tilts her head slightly. “Yea, it does, but it also means he likes you.” I turn towards her abruptly. “What?! He doesn’t like me! If he did that’s a real strange way of showing it.” She smiles, “Yea, sorta like when little boys tug on girls’ pigtails when they have a crush on them? They don’t really know how to express their emotions so they just act out in strange ways. Trust me though, he’s a very caring man. He’s deep and complicated, but he is fiercely loyal. You should go talk to him. Give him a chance to explain himself.” I turn to look at her in the glow of the firelight, “Damn. I feel too weird about it right now, I think I’ll try in the morning. I’m gonna head to bed. Thanks, Sadie.” I offer her a warm smile which she returns.

 

I slip under the covers of my cot, reflecting over the events of the day in my head. I’m just starting to close my eyes when I hear the rustle of canvas. “Hey. Can we talk?” It’s Arthur. I roll over to look at him, his face looks genuine but I’m still annoyed. I prop myself up on my elbows and rub one of my eyes. When I look at him again, he’s studying me. I press my lips together, not quite sure what to do at the moment. “Sure.” I say finally. I stand up and follow him outside. Everyone else seems to be in their tents, though I can still hear some chattering. “Look, I’m sorry ‘bout the way I acted in the saloon.” He sighs and places his hands on his belt. “I just—you got me all worried the way you ran off like that.” _Was Sadie right? Does he actually like me?_ Suddenly very intrigued, my eyes wander down to the belt that’s hung loosely below his waist. The way his hands cover the buckle…for some reason it’s turning me on. “Piper?” I snap out of my daze and look at his face. I feel bad for still being angry, but I speak my mind nonetheless. “You know you can’t just talk to me like that cuz you’re worried. I was tryin’ to protect y’all and you scolded me like I was bein’ punished.” I can feel heat rising to my cheeks, an anger bubbling inside me. “Where do you get off talkin’ to a woman like that?” He blinks at me. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, really.” I cross my arms in front of my chest. “If there’s something you want to say to me then say it, but don’t get all huffy and angry and expect me to understand why you’re worried about me.”

“Saw you talking with Sadie when we got back.” He takes a step towards me.

“Yeah, so?” I ask, annoyed. I don’t see where he’s going with this.

“I told her—“ he pauses.

“Arthur if you have something to tell me, then just say it.” I say impatiently. He seems nervous, rubbing the back of his neck. “You ain’t a little kid, you’re a grown man. Just tell me.” My voice is rising from anger and…anticipation? Excitement? He looks at the ground. “I know I’m a man, Piper. But I haven’t had these feelings in a long time…and I guess I’m afraid of being hurt or rejected—“

“Arthur…” I say in a hushed voice, knowing what he’s about to say but not quite believing it until I hear it with my own ears. His eyes meet mine. “I like you, Piper. I s’pose I’m not very good at showing it right now. And I feel stupid ‘cuz you’d probably never wanna be with a man like me, and I feel like I’m just wasting your t—” I cut him off as I step forward, pressing my palms against his chest. He swallows but doesn’t take his eyes off of me. I look at his full lips and examine the stubble on his jaw. “What makes you think I don’t wanna be with a man like you?” I ask, still watching his lips. He lets out a short breath, and moves a hand to my waist, pulling me against him. Our faces draw closer, so close that our breaths mingle. Right before he’s about to kiss me, Dutch yells from across the camp. “Miss Abner! I need to speak with you.” I groan and step back, giving Arthur an apologetic look. He nods in understanding and watches me as I head to Dutch’s tent.

 

 

             

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

I bite my lip, smiling. _He likes me._ I feel like a giddy child. _I think I like him too._ I can’t remember the last time someone has made me feel this way. As I’m walking, I turn around, biting my finger and smiling at him. His eyes twinkle and he smiles back, it’s genuine and warm. My heart does a somersault and thuds in my chest. My giddiness fades as I near Dutch’s tent. A scowl replaces my smile as I enter. Dutch is sitting on the edge of his bed and motions for me to join him. “Since we haven’t had any luck finding your Daddy’s gold lately,” he narrows his eyes at me, “you gotta start earnin’ your keep around here. I want you to start going on jobs regularly with the boys. Every score that they take from a job gets split up, and the camp gets their share.” He points to a wooden box right outside the tent. “I believe we’re gonna start scoping out Saint Denis soon, so I hope you know how to shoot a gun.” With that, he dismisses me with a wave of his hand and I step back out into the darkness. I walk back towards my tent, thinking on what Dutch has told me, and I find that I’m actually nervous. What if I’m not good at this? What if I’m just a drag on the group? I shake my head to clear the thoughts and sit down on my cot. I untie the bandage around my thigh and look at the healing scar from the gunshot. I think it’s healed enough that I don’t have to keep bandaging it, so I slip out of my dress and sigh with relief as I snuggle under the covers.

 

The morning light wakes me as I stretch and let out a big yawn. I search in my pile of clothes and decide to wear a blouse and trousers today since I don’t have to bandage my leg anymore. I slip on some boots, braid my hair, and step outside. Sean is waiting outside my tent for me when I emerge. “Oh, hey Sean.” I smile.

“Hi there.” He drawls in his thick Irish accent. “Was wondering if yous wanted to join me and Arthur in burning them tobacco fields tonight?” He flashes a cheeky grin.

“Whose tobacco fields?” I ask

“Them Grays.” He winks at me. I laugh and nod my head, “Yeah, sure.” Sean claps excitedly, “Alright girlie, we gon’ have ourselves a good ol’ time tonight!” then he saunters off.

The nervousness I felt last night is burning away, being replaced with excitement. Before I was kidnapped by the Lemoyne Raiders, I didn’t really have a purpose. I would read in my cabin, or tend the fields and sell the crops. After my father died, the crops withered, and I had to try to find work elsewhere. I wasn’t enjoying life, and I suppose being here, with Arthur and everyone else, I feel happy again. I feel like my life means something. I have people depending on me, but for once, I can depend on them too. It’s a nice feeling. I walk over to the campfire and pour myself a cup of coffee. Then I walk to the edge of the lake, taking in the beautiful view of the sunrise over the water while I sip from the tin cup. I smile against the cup before I take another drink. _This is so nice._ I hear the rustling of grass behind me and turn around. Arthur smiles at me, “Mornin’.” He drawls with the slight twang in his voice that I find so adorable. I smile back at him. He touches the small of my back, just for a moment. But even after he removes his hand, my skin still feels warm even through my shirt. “You sleep okay?” He asks, looking down at me through his dark lashes. I nod, taking another sip of coffee. “I did actually, did you?” He nods, and then clears his throat.

“What did Dutch want last night?” he pauses, then smirks a little. “He kinda got in the way of somethin’ I was wantin’ to do.” I laugh and look at him, “I could tell.”

He rolls his eyes playfully.  I look out at the lake, then back to Arthur. “He wanted me to start doing jobs with y’all to earn my keep, but it sounds like he wants me to be more involved than how Hosea put it.” Arthur’s face falls slightly. I can tell he’s worried. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” I reassure him, touching his arm gently. He gives me a half smile.

“I think this’ll be a good thing, it’ll give me something to do and make me feel like I have a purpose.” I shrug.

“We’ll show you the ropes, just stick with us and follow our leads.” He tells me seriously. I nod, then smirk. “As long as you don’t yell at me again when I try to save your ass.” He sighs then chuckles, “I ain’t ever livin’ that one down, huh?” I shake my head, giving him a playful smile. During the afternoon, Arthur heads out to hunt, and John shows me how to clean the guns. “You’re gonna have to get your own guns pretty soon here, and a horse!” He laughs. “Can’t be an outlaw without a horse.”

“Where am I gonna find the money for all that?” I ask. He continues cleaning his guns with gun oil, “we usually get a pretty decent take when we go on some of these runs. We have to split it up, but the money’s still pretty good.” I nod. He continues to teach me how to take the guns apart, clean them, and put them back together again. “There’s a gun store in Rhodes that we could go to after you get some money, and Arthur would be a good person to ask about picking out a new horse. There’s a stable ‘round here somewhere.” I finally finish cleaning my pile of weapons and give John a grateful smile, “Thanks for teachin’ me all this.” He nods to me, “Course, miss. Happy to help.” I stand up and wipe the rest of the oil on my trousers. I float around the camp for the rest of the afternoon, helping with chores here and there. By the time Arthur gets back with some meat, it’s evening time. He drops off a deer carcass and three turkey carcasses by Person’s table. I’m sitting by the campfire, talking with people when he sits down beside me. “Hey you” he says with a smile. I sit back in the grass, palms out beside me, drinking in the view of the sunset. Suddenly I feel Arthur’s hand on top of mine as he stretches out beside me, but he retracts it quickly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to put my hand there.” He’s starting to flush and I giggle. “It’s ok.” I take his hand in mine and smile at him. His face blushes harder but he smiles back. I study him for a minute. His tan coat is stained with blood from his hunt. “You need to wash that coat and change.” I point to his jacket, making a face. He looks down at himself, “Oh, yea probably would be a good idea.” He squeezes my hand once and then gets up, heading into his tent. Sean comes up to me by the fire, “You almost ready to go girlie? We gots to be leavin’ here pretty soon.”

“Yea, I’m ready.”

“Good! We leave at nightfall.” I nod and he goes over to the pot of stew, taking a bowl and sitting at the table with some others. I hear a rustle of canvas and look over to see Arthur coming out of his tent. He’s dressed in a form-fitting long-sleeved navy shirt with cotton suspenders and dark pants. His hat is off for the moment, so I admire his locks as they glow golden in the light of the setting sun. He sits back down next to me and rests his arms on his knees. The muscles in his arms strain slightly against the fabric of his shirt. _He looks so good. I never realized he was that muscular when he had his coat on._ I reach out and trace a finger over his upper arm, admiring his strength. He looks over at me, eyes focused on my hand touching him. I suddenly realize what I’m doing and falter, “I like this fabric. Is it cotton?” He laughs, probably seeing right through me. “Yeah.” He says. _Why do I want to touch him so badly?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some s m u t

Sean, Arthur and I are on our way to the Gray’s plantation. We’re in a covered wagon, with Sean driving, and me and Arthur in the back amongst some jugs of moonshine. I feel the wagon lurch to a stop and teeter as a guard jumps on beside Sean. I have to admire him, Sean is buttering up this guy so easily, even handing him a drink which Arthur passes him through the gap between the front seat and the back where we are hiding. A few minutes pass as we ride into the farm, with Sean and the guard chatting loudly. Arthur sits with his back against one of the walls of the wagon, looking completely nonchalant. Meanwhile, I’m nervous as hell, fidgeting with my hands in my lap. He looks over at me quizzically and mouths, “You ok?” to me. I nod, trying to seem convincing because I don’t want to worry him. Finally, the wagon comes to a halt inside a barn of some sort. Sean hops off of the driver’s seat, and starts to unload the back. He gives us a simple nod as our cue, and Arthur and I climb out through the front. I crouch behind the wagon as I watch Arthur creep up behind the guard silently. In one swift motion, he has the guard head-locked in his powerful arms, and then I hear an audible snap. The guard’s lifeless body slumps to the ground. _Jesus Christ._ He sees the look on my face I suppose, because his face falls like he’s ashamed. “I told you I ain’t a good man, Piper.” He looks sad, as if he’s disappointed me. I shake my head, “It’s just part of the job.” I try to offer him a reassuring smile, but he doesn’t seem convinced. Sean stands at a wooden table, stuffing cloths into small bottles of moonshine. “Hush, the both of ya’s. We gots to focus on this.” He hands us each three bottles when we walk over to him, and hands Arthur a big jug as well. I hold out my hands, expecting to be handed a jug as well. Sean looks at Arthur and then to me, “I think only one person needs to do this part, miss.” I roll my eyes, I’m sure Arthur told Sean to keep me out of danger as much as possible. “It’ll be faster with two people.” I say impatiently. Sean hands me a jug and then opens the barn door slowly. We all creep out, Sean reminding us of our objectives, and then he’s off to another barn. “Stay close” Arthur whispers over his shoulder.

“Arthur, I can do this. I ain’t gonna get hurt.” Before he can protest, I sneak off to the field opposite him. I start dousing the tobacco plants in moonshine, careful not to make too much noise. When I feel satisfied that the field is soaked enough, I creep over to the next field.

 

Arthur and I finish with the fields in no time, and then we sneak over to the dry barn to meet Sean. When we arrive, he’s already killed the guard inside, and has starting pouring moonshine over the walls and floorboards. “Who wants the honors?” he smiles mischievously.

“Get back” I whisper as I light the Molotov. I throw the bottle with ease and watch as blue and orange flames engulf the barn. The three of us backtrack, throwing burning moonshine bottles into the fields as we pass them. As the flames grow higher, I hear guards start to shout. I jump as I hear gunshots echoing in the night air, knowing that they’ve found us. We sprint quickly, ducking behind objects every now and then to take out some of the pursuing guards. The whole farm is now burning brightly, and I can feel the heat radiating painfully against my skin. We emerge from behind some crates, continuing our trek to the exit of the plantation. Sean peels off to the right, spotting two horses. Arthur and I start to follow when a guard steps out into the road in front of us, rifle cocked. My eyes widen as he aims his gun at Arthur. Without thinking, I shove into Arthur, pushing him to the ground as my body falls on top of his. A gun fires. I look up to see the guard falling forward limply, Sean behind him with a smoking pistol. He motions for us to follow him. I look down, making sure Arthur is ok. He’s staring into my eyes, and suddenly I’m very aware of how close we are. Flushing, I stand up and offer him my hand, which he takes. “Thanks” he mutters, still looking at me. I’m not sure if I insulted him or what, but the way he’s looking at me makes me flush. Sean hollers out to us and then we’re running again, straight for the horses he’s cut free from a wagon. Sean is already mounted atop a large draft horse. I panic, only seeing two horses, when I feel two hands around my waist, lifting me onto the other horse. Then, Arthur climbs on behind me, hugging me close to him. “You ride, I’ll shoot.” I kick the grey mare’s sides roughly, spurring her into a gallop. Sean rides right next to us and shoots any guards that get in our way. We leap over fallen objects, evading guns and flames alike. Finally, we make it through the front gate. Arthur, still gripping me tightly, is shooting at the pursuing guards. “Turn up here.” Sean says, pointing to a bend in the road. We continue to ride farther away from the farm, and the guards eventually give up, letting us escape. We slow the horses to a halt, breathing heavily. I sigh wearily and rest my head back against Arthur’s shoulder, breathing deeply. “So this is a normal job for you guys, huh?” I ask, still trying to catch my breath. Sean smiles, “had fun did you?” I just close my eyes as I continue to rest against Arthur, shaking my head. I can hear him breathing in my ear, feel his chest rising and falling. “It definitely had my adrenaline going.” I say. Sean laughs. “Well, I’ll see yous back at camp then?”

“Yea, we’ll be there soon.” I hear Arthur say. Then Sean spurs his horse and gallops away. I laugh as I sit forward again, starting to kick the horse into a walk. Arthur rests a hand on my thigh, his chest pressed tightly to my back. I falter, blushing furiously. “You did good back there.” He says in a low voice. His touch ignites my veins, making my whole body hot. I try to bite back a whimper as his hand starts trailing up my thigh, to my torso, where he rests his hand on my waist. My breathing becomes slightly ragged, heat flooding my lower belly and between my thighs. His hand continues to trail up my arm, so softly. Then he’s moving my hair to one shoulder, exposing the side of my neck to the air. I feel his breath against my skin. “You did real good.” He drawls. “Thank you for protectin’ me against that guard. That was real brave.” He presses his lips softly to the side of my neck, his arm wrapped around my torso. I try to bite back a moan, but it comes out anyways. I feel him smile against my neck. He kisses my neck once more, and I sigh shakily. “Let’s get back to camp.” He whispers. I feel warm and dizzy, I haven’t had these feelings in so long and they feel so good. I kick the horse’s sides lightly as we start our walk back to camp. I’m very aware of his groin pressed against my butt, feeling hardness when I lean into him a little. Heat continues to pool low within me. We continue to ride in silence, his arm still twined around my waist. When we arrive, I stop at a hitching post and climb down. Arthur is watching me intently. He dismounts and hitches the horse, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the forest just outside of camp. Before I even know where this is going, he pushes me against the trunk of a tree, hands moving up and down my frame. He presses his lips to mine, and moans when I kiss him back eagerly. I knock his hat off with my hand and wind my fingers into his hair. He opens his mouth and deepens the kiss, his tongue touching mine as his kisses become more aggressive. The heat between my thighs is almost burning now. Then he picks me up, wrapping my legs around him as he presses me back against the tree. His fingers grip my thighs tightly, and wherever he touches burns white hot. We kiss each other feverishly, feeling our hot breaths mingling together. I rest my head back against the tree while he peppers my neck with kisses. I moan again which seems to send him into a frenzy as he starts to gently bite down on my neck and then suck on the flesh to alleviate the pain. He stops and looks into my eyes. I look back into his, which are dark with lust. “Felt nice when you were on top of me earlier. Felt really nice.” He licks his lips. I smirk and move my hips forward, grinding slightly, feeling his hardness through his trousers as he’s holding me. His face almost goes slack as he feels me so tightly pressed against his erection. He rumbles from deep within his chest, a sound that makes my head spin. “God, you are beautiful.” He whispers before he starts kissing me again, devouring my mouth in his, tongues intertwined. My fingers continue to twist in his hair and I start to bounce against the tree. He stops kissing me and watches me as I rub against him, moving up and down in a motion similar to sex. His hands move to my ass, and his eyes continue to watch me hungrily. As I move up and down, I snake one hand down and palm his crotch. He lets out a whimper when I touch him, even through his trousers. Then I wrap my arms around his neck and move up and down a bit faster, to which he responds automatically with bucking his hips slightly, face slack as he’s consumed with lust. He kisses me again, and continues to rock his body against mine as I bounce. I moan, too loud, and we hear a man shout. “Hey! Who’s there?” I grimace, forgetting that Javier is on guard duty. Arthur calls out, his voice low, “Just me.” Annoyance laces his tone.

“You got a lady with you? Thought I heard something.” Javier asks, trying not to laugh.

“Yea, Piper’s with me.” Arthur says.

“What are you two doing out there? Come back to camp, it’s the middle of the night.”

Arthur growls in frustration and sets me down onto the ground gently. I smooth my braid down as we walk back to camp. Heat burns my cheeks as we pass Javier, who chuckles. “If you wanna be sneaky, you’re gonna have to be more quiet next time amigos.” Arthur rolls his eyes. “Shut up.”

I head to my tent and turn to see Arthur before I close the flaps for the night. He’s resting his hands on the support beams above him. “Well, goodnight Miss Abner. Nice job again tonight.” He gives me a quick kiss, trying to be discreet before he heads back to his own tent for the night.                


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed, I'm trying to get to some really good parts ;)

I lay awake in my bed, my head still spinning. _Oh my god._ He makes me feel so damn good. The heat between my legs is almost unbearable. My inner thighs are slick with wetness. I ache for him. I slip out of my clothes, kicking them onto the ground as I tenderly slip a hand into my underwear. I grit my teeth to keep from moaning as I rub my clit slowly, savoring the feelings that wash over me. I bite the inside of my cheek hard when I started rubbing faster, my hips jerking involuntarily in response. Then I slip two fingers inside myself, curling them when I get deep enough. Electricity shoots through me, and it takes every fiber of my being not to cry out. I finger myself faster and faster, using my other hand to rub my clit as I feel overwhelmed with these glorious feelings. I whimper as I find my release, panting and moaning quietly. _Fuck._ I wish that had been him touching me instead. Little do I know, Arthur is furiously touching himself in his tent too, trying to nurse the intense ache in his groin. After a while, I grow sleepy from my climax, and roll over and close my eyes, falling into a deep slumber.

 

The next morning, I re-dress, and let out a big yawn. I open the flaps of my tent to let in the bright morning sunshine. _How am I even going to be around Arthur today without losing my mind?_ I sigh, trying to maintain my composure as I exit the tent. Thankfully, Arthur isn’t up yet as I start on my morning chores. Sadie comes over and joins me with cleaning the camp’s laundry. “Hey” she gives me a sly smile. “Heard you and Arthur had a good time last night.”

I blush. “Who’d you hear that from?”

“Javier.”

I grunt, and continue to scrub the laundry against the washboard. “He doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about. He didn’t even see anything. We were just talking to each other anyways.” I say. Sadie’s smile broadens as she scrubs her laundry. “Suuuure.” She says, furrowing her brows, trying to make it look like she believes me. I chuckle and push her playfully. “Shush.” We laugh and continue to do our chores.

After I’ve completed my morning tasks, I walk over to a barrel of fresh water. I wash off my face and let my hair out of its braid. I grab a bar of soap sitting on a tray nearby and work up a lather in my hands. I scrub my scalp and sigh at the feeling. I add more soap and run my fingers through my long locks, cleaning them thoroughly. Then I dunk my head into the water, rinsing my hair. When I resurface, I flip my head over, wringing out my drenched tresses. I flip my head back up, grabbing a towel nearby and wiping off my face and drying out my hair. I throw the towel over a hitching post and run my hands through my hair to detangle it. I see something move out of my peripheral vision and I turn to look. Arthur is leaning against a post, hands on his belt, a sly smile of his lips. “How long have you been watching me?” I ask, laughing. Arthur stands upright and walks over to me. “Not too long, your hair is beautiful by the way.”

“Thank you.” I say, “but don’t be creepy and watch me.” I smile playfully, and he chuckles. “I ain’t bein’ a creep.” He leans in close and looks down at me. “Mmm, you smell nice.” I laugh heartily. “ _That_ is creepy.” Arthur rolls his eyes, smiling. “Sorry for admirin’ you. Is it a problem that I find you so irresistibly attractive?” I blush and look down at my boots. I look back up at him, studying the stubble on his defined jaw. _His beard felt so good against my skin when he was kissing me last night._ I sigh longingly. “Thinkin’ about somethin’?” He asks, chuckling. I meet his gaze, “so what if I am?” I offer him a mischievous smile.

“Hmm, well if it helps I’ve been thinkin’ about that a lot too.” He stares at my lips. I continue to run my fingers through my hair.

“You sleep okay last night?” I ask innocently. “Yeah, once I was actually able to fall asleep. You had me all riled up.” I step closer to him, “yeah, me too.” I let out a breath. “So,” I ask, changing the subject for fear that I might kiss him right now in the middle of camp. “What’re we doing today?” He exhales through his nose and rests his hands on his belt. “Dunno, maybe we can look around Rhodes and see if there’s anything we can find.” I nod. “You know, I still think it’s dangerous how y’all are playing both sides with this family feud.” I say. Arthur shrugs. “Hopefully something’ll come out of it. If not, we’ll pack up and move on.”

I consider this. “What about the gold? Is Dutch gonna let me stay even if we move?” Arthur exhales, thinking. “We’ll figure something out, don’t worry. I won’t let him kick you out.” He offers me a warm smile.

 

The day continues on, and by the afternoon we have a plan for Rhodes. Sean, Bill, Micah, Arthur and I are going to stroll through the streets to go speak to Sherriff Gray, I’m not quite sure what about, but I want to tag along. We all gather in a group, and mount up for our ride to Rhodes. When we get there, it seems quiet. We hitch our horses and begin our walk to the sheriff’s office. Just as I’m becoming suspicious at the lack of activity, a gunshot fires into the air. I look over everyone to make sure they’re ok as we scramble for cover. Thankfully, no one was hit but now it’s clear we’ve walked right into an ambush. Shots fire from all over, and Arthur looks at me protectively. I nod, trying to let him know I’m ok. I take a shotgun off my back and aim at the shooters. I release the trigger and feel a boom as the weapon recoils against my shoulder. With all five of us, we make quick work of the Grays. We’ve dispersed throughout the gunfight, and we all crane our necks when we hear Sheriff Gray yelling from the porch of his office. He’s got Bill in a headlock, pistol aimed at his skull. “You must think we’re real dumb.” He sneers. “We know what you’ve been up to this whole time!”

Arthur curses under his breath, and glances towards me from across the road. He gives me a curt nod and jumps out from his cover behind a wagon.

“Arthur!” I yelp. Arthur walks in front of the Sheriff’s office as some more of Gray’s men exit the building. “Let ‘im go.” Arthur growls. Sheriff Gray laughs, “now why would I do that?” In the quickest motion I’ve ever seen, Arthur unholsters his revolver and shoots the sheriff right in the head. Sean and Micah take out the rest of the guards and the town falls back into an eerie silence. _Jesus._ I run over to Arthur, “what were you thinkin’?!” I scold him. His lips twitch into a smile, “You worried about me?”

I blush, “I just don’t want you to go and try to get yourself killed is all.” Arthur chuckles, “I ain’t. I’m ok.” He squeezes my hand reassuringly. I look around the town, which is full of bodies and bullet shells. Bill walks down the office steps, “we gotta get outta here and move camp. This was too close of a call.” Sean nods in agreement.

 

We mount up and ride back to camp, telling Dutch what happened. “Shit” he scowls. “We gotta move and fast.” As we’re discussing where to go, Pearson runs up to us, spouting some nonsense about a guy named Colm O’Driscoll. “He wants to meet with you. Some sort of truce I suppose?” Dutch scratches his chin in thought. “Dutch, it’s a trap, and we gotta move camp.” Arthur says.

Micah pipes up, “Nah boss, I think this is a good opportunity. I think we should take it.” Arthur shoots him an angry glare. “Dutch—” Arthur starts but is cut off.

“I suppose moving camp can wait. We meet with Colm at first light. I’m taking Arthur and Micah, end of discussion.” Arthur huffs in frustration. “Dutch, we just got shot to hell in Rhodes, this is not the time for—”

“I made my decision, Arthur.” Dutch walks back into his tent. Arthur kicks a pebble in annoyance. “I don’t know who he is anymore, he never used to make decisions like this.” Arthur tells me. I reach out and grab Arthur’s hand, offering him a sad smile. That night, Arthur and I sit in his tent, talking. We tell each other funny stories about ourselves as we sit on his bed. He looks at me with his beautiful eyes. “I’m nervous about this Piper. Colm ain’t a forgiving man.” I cock my head, “what do you mean?”

Arthur sighs, “He and Dutch have a history. Years ago, Dutch killed Colm’s brother, not quite sure why. As revenge, Colm killed a woman Dutch loved. They’ve hated each other ever since, not being able to get past what the other had done to them.”

“Damn.” I sigh. “You all sure do live a dangerous life.” I meet his gaze, and then reach a hand out to hold his face. His eyes widen at the contact. “Please be careful tomorrow.” I say quietly. He nods and leans into my touch. He starts leaning towards me slowly, and I meet him halfway, kissing him softly. I take my hand off his face and press it against his broad chest. He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me into his lap. I straddle him, kissing him harder. He groans against my mouth. His hands travel down my back. He keeps one hand on my back as he moves the other to grip my thigh. I shiver at the feel of his hand so close to my core. I rest my hands on his big shoulders as I break the kiss, leaning my forehead against his. “You promise you’ll be careful?” I ask again. He nods, “I promise.”

 

                 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this isn't cheesy ._. Please leave a comment, it would make my day! <3

My heart aches when I awake the next morning. I hug my arms to my chest as I leave my tent, looking at the ground somberly. I’m so worried something will happen to Arthur. I’m surprised with how quickly I’ve grown attached to him, considering it’s only been a month or two. I don’t usually get attached this easily, it’s just something about him I guess. Dutch left with Micah and Arthur long before I got up. I pour myself a cup of coffee and sit down on a rock by the lake. I sigh, trying not to let my anxiety continue to turn my stomach. I don’t know why Arthur follows Dutch so blindly. I disliked Dutch from the first moment we spoke to each other. I think again back to the rumors of the gold, and I stop when I feel a headache coming on. _I’ve got to think of something. I don’t want to be kicked out. I feel like for the first time in my life I have people looking out for me._ I look at my boots, my brow furrowed with worry. That’s when I decide to head out on my own. I need to uncover my own leads to keep Dutch off my back. I fill a canteen full of water, pack a few provisions and make sure my rifle is loaded. Then I’m saddling up one of the extra horses in the camp. I let Sadie know where I’m going if anyone asks. My plan is to wander back to Bluewater Marsh where an old soothsayer woman lives. She lived on just the other side of the water from me before my cabin burned down. I never actually payed her a visit, but people said she had mysterious objects and treasure maps of all different kinds. I figure it’s a good place to start. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be back by supper-time. I nudge the horse forward, clicking gently. It’s been a little while since I’ve been home, although it never really truly felt like a home with my father there. I used to run around the marsh as a child, picking orchids and marveling at all the animals I saw. It was the most fun I remember having growing up. I remember one time I got to see a baby alligator hatch from its shell, eyes wide, taking in the world. I crept too close, and had to run like mad to get away from the mother. I loved to explore the swamp, bugs and predators aside, it was a neat place to be. I smile to myself at the memories. I suppose it got somewhat better after my dad died, but even though it was a relief to not have him there, as terrible as that sounds, I was so lonely. All things considered, I guess I’m glad I’ve found a new home with this gang.

 

I continue walking through the swamps until I reach the spot of my old cabin. Charred wood covers the earth. I hang my head, bitterness and sadness welling inside my chest. I dismount my horse, poking through the remains hoping to find something, _anything._ I shake my head, knowing it’s useless. Everything that my mother left for me was sold by my father for his precious alcohol. I remember when I used to ask him what she had been like, my face so full of hope and curiosity. I wanted to know everything I could about this woman whom I loved so dearly, yet never got to meet. He’d look back at me, taking a draw from his cigarette, his mouth set in a tight line. “Please Daddy? What was mommy like? Was she nice and pretty? Strong and smart?” His scowl would deepen, eyes shining angrily. He’d hit me, again and again. I feel a sting on my cheek just from the memory. I look down, eyes brimming with tears as I kick through the ruins of the cabin. I wish my memories had burned down with this stupid old house.

I mount my horse again, stroking his chestnut mane. I set off for the Soothsayer’s house, cutting through the trees and wading through the swamp. The house looks similar to other structures in the area. Old, wooden, and decrepit. It has a certain charm though, a rustic sort of appeal. It’s inviting in a strange way. I hitch my horse to a tree and ascend the porch steps. I rap my knuckles on the door softly, twisting my hair in my fingers idly. The door opens. An old woman swaddled in robes stands before me. She has squinty eyes, a toothy grin, well, with the teeth she has left anyways, and a kind face. “Hello” I extend my hand to hers, which she shakes firmly, resting her other hand atop mine. “Hello dear.” She drawls in a raspy voice. “Have you come to seek my services? Please, come in.” She sweeps an arm towards her living room. I step inside and am quite perplexed. The curtains are drawn so that barely any light gets through. Red candles rest atop every table she owns, their wax oozing down the sides, making them look eerie and sinister. She motions to a chair and so I sit. “What can I do for you?” She asks kindly as she sits in a chair opposite mine. “I’m actually wondering if you could help me find a treasure map. I’ve heard you may have one.”

She smiles at me toothily. “Ah, so it’s gold you seek?” she asks, quirking an eyebrow.

“I suppose, if that’s what the map leads to.” I shrug.

She leans in closer to me, her gold tooth glinting in the candlelight. “I can give you a map my dear, but the gold I think you are seeking cannot be found through one.” I scrunch my face in confusion. She continues, “Your father’s gold…” I stifle a gasp. Anxiety bubbles in my veins, _can this woman be for real?_ I exhale a slow breath when I realize she’s probably just heard all the rumors. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, “I’m looking for treasure I _can_ find through a map. How much for one of those?” She stands up, rifling through a dark wooden chest behind her chair. She holds in her hands three different furled pieces of yellowed parchment. “$1.00 for each.” I search through my pockets and wrap my fingers around some coins, handing them to her. “Thank you.” I say.

She gives me a simple nod as I take the maps from her gnarled hands. I thank her again and wave, and then I’m back out in the daylight. I mount up and open one of the maps. There’s a sketch of a rock-face with a dotted line leading to an ‘X’. I recognize the area instantly as Citadel Rock. I spur my horse’s sides roughly and gallop out of the marsh. When I arrive at my location, I try to work quickly so as not to draw attention. I climb the monolith, jumping over nooks and crannies, and finally shimmy along a tediously thin wall. When I reach the end, I reach up into a small cavern hidden behind some stones. I collect my prize along with another map. I smile in triumph and climb back along the thin face of rock before I make my way back down to my horse. I continue following the maps until I have found several bars of gold, and even a precious gem. Stowing them all in my satchel, I feel satisfied with how today went. I look at the sky, watching the sun start to set. I take off in a gallop back to camp and thankfully arrive before dark. I dismount, taking the saddle off my horse and hanging it over a hitching post. I let my horse graze happily as I head to Dutch’s tent. On the way, I hear murmuring and strained voices. I turn to see everyone around the fire looking very worried. Knitting my brows together in concern, I stride over there, asking what’s going on. I sit down on a log, nervous for what I'm about to hear. That’s when they inform me that Arthur has been captured by the O’Driscolls. My face drains of color and my heart sinks. Fear erupts like flames throughout my body. Will they hurt him? Torture him? _Kill_ him? I pinch the bridge of my nose between my eyes to keep from _screaming._ I’m so damned angry. _He promised me he’d be safe!_ I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up to see Micah’s slimy face looking down at me in a self-satisfied manner, “At least they took Cowpoke alive, I mean…not sure what state he’s in now but—” I stand up and slug him hard across the face, panting with rage. He falls hard in the dirt. “You imbecile! You convinced Dutch this was safe. Did you know this whole time it was a set-up, huh? You tryin’ to get everyone killed?!” I shriek.

Micah looks up at me in disbelief, holding his jaw. “What the FUCK is your problem?!” He spits at me. I narrow my eyes at him, my chest rising and falling erratically in my state of anger. My fists are still clenched by my sides, and I’m about to raise them again when Charles comes over and puts his hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me down. “Hey hey hey, calm down, it’ll be alright. We’ll get Arthur.” He says, trying to soothe me. He starts to lead me away from the fire and I hear Micah sneer under his breath, “fucking psycho ass bitch.” I growl, ready to kick him, but Charles is swiftly leading me back to my tent, with Sadie following us. I sit down on my cot, head in my hands. “I hate that guy.”

Sadie smirks, “we all do,” she pauses, her face softening, “don’t listen to him. Arthur knows what he’s doing, he’s a resourceful man. We can send out a search party in the morning. No use trying to find him in the dark when they’ve probably got him holed up somewhere that’s guarded.” Charles nods in agreement. “You should come with us” he offers me a smile. I give them both a grateful look, “Thank you, both.”

 

 

The next morning I’m up bright and early, packing up supplies and loading my borrowed guns. I sigh. _I really need to get my own things._ I step out into the hazy morning sun, cracking my neck. I’m anxious at what we’ll find when we get to Arthur. I try to push those thoughts out of my head. I walk back into the tent and grab my satchel, remembering all the treasures I found yesterday. I decide to keep one gold bar for myself so that I can buy a horse and weapons. I tuck it under my pillow to keep it safe. Then I sling the satchel across my chest and head for Dutch’s tent. I left the treasure maps by my bed, but I marveled at how much loot there was. I didn’t even get through a whole map yesterday because of all the smaller maps I kept finding when I collected the plunder, and the soothsayer gave me _three!_ I hope this will keep Dutch satisfied for a while. When I get to Dutch’s tent, the flaps are already tied back, so I assume he’s awake. I peer my head into the spacious room, finding Dutch buried in a book while smoking a cigar. A pang of annoyance hits me. _Shouldn’t he more interested in finding Arthur right now?_ I step inside, the wood creaking beneath my boots. He looks up at me over the edge of his novel. “Can I help you?” he asks simply. I take my satchel off and open it up for him to look inside. His face lights up, jaw dropping open slightly. “Whoa-ho! Where did you find all this stuff?” He picks up a gold bar, examining it glinting in the sunlight. I tell him about the treasure maps I got from the soothsayer, but I leave out the part how she mentioned my father’s supposed gold. He seems very pleased, which makes my anxiety subside somewhat.

“Miss Abner, if you keep up like this, you are _more_ than welcome to stay in our camp for as long as you like.” He says as he plucks the rest of the loot from my satchel. I give him a grateful nod, rocking back on my heels. “So Sadie, Charles and I are going to try to find Arthur.” I state matter-of-factly. He rests the precious items on his bedside table and shakes his head, “No. Too risky. You could end up leading the O’Driscolls back to camp.”

I gape at him, anger rising in my chest once more. “But….so we’re just going to let him die?” I try to keep my tone even.     

“Colm’s a coward, I doubt he’ll kill him.” He inspects the many rings on his hands, inhaling gently. I shoot him a murderous glare, “He would come get you without a second thought if you were in his position right now.”

Dutch stands abruptly, which startles me. “I am doing everything I can to keep us _alive,_ Miss Abner. We will get Arthur, but if we go now, they’ll be expecting us, which means they’ll slaughter us all.” I continue to gawk at him, not quite believing what I’m hearing. “And if we don’t go now then _he_ will be slaughtered.” I spit at him. He narrows his eyes at me. “I’ve said my final word on the matter, leave me be.”

I storm out of his tent, feeling quite helpless. I bury my face in my hands, unsure of whether I want to cry or yell. Dutch doesn’t deserve the immense loyalty Arthur gives him. _Oh Arthur…_ my stomach twists in a knot of anxiety.

As the day continues to go on, I plan with Sadie and Charles, trying to sneak out of camp to find Arthur. “Dutch won’t be happy with you, Piper.” Sadie states.

I grunt, “I don’t give a fuck what he thinks.”

Sadie smirks at that, I’m rebellious just like she is.

Charles has a map open and is trying to figure out where the rival gang could be when I feel a raindrop on my scalp. I look up at the sky, which is growing ominously more dark with each passing moment. Thunder rumbles in the distance right as the heavens open up, drenching the campsite with torrents of rain. I squeal, trying to herd the three of us into my tent. I can barely see a thing; this rain is so heavy. We get inside my tent, soaking and shivering. Charles looks at his saturated map, sighing heavily. “Damn, I’m sorry.” I say disappointedly. He waves a hand in the air, “I’ve got tons more.”  

Sadie huffs, “how long do you think this’ll last?” Charles shrugs. “Dunno, but we couldn’t go out in a storm like this. We could barely even see each other out there through this rain.” He turns to me. “Sorry Piper, we’ll have to wait til this storm passes.” I huff in frustration and flop down on the grass inside my tent, waiting.

 

I wait and wait, and then wait some more. It’s dark out and this rain still hasn’t let up. Charles and Sadie have kept me company in my tent this whole time, telling jokes and sharing stories. They make me feel genuinely better.

Suddenly, I’m overcome with guilt. _God, Arthur must be so scared. I should’ve left before morning to try to find him._ I’m interrupted from my thoughts as I hear hollering. Even though it’s still pouring outside, the three of us rush outside to see what’s going on. The rain has lightened enough that I can see in front of me, but it’s still pretty heavy. I can’t believe my eyes as I see a large dappled grey horse approaching camp with a man crumpled over its neck. The man falls off his horse, landing with a hard thud on the ground. He lets out a groan. _Arthur…_

I rush to him as the others start to help him up. “Told you it was a trap, Dutch.” Arthur whispers, seemingly not capable of talking much louder. His usual sarcasm laces his voice, despite how pained he sounds. Miss Grimshaw and Reverend Swanson carry him to his tent, laying him down on the cot. I hurry inside, finally seeing him in the light of the oil lamp. I gasp, horrified. His face is swollen, bruised and bleeding. His shoulder has a red and angry mar from what looks like a burn. He’s stripped down to his red underwear, tattered and dirty. He sees me watching him anxiously and tries to give me a smile but winces in pain. “Could y’all give me a moment with Miss Abner?” He asks the others. They nod and file out of his tent, leaving us alone. I choke back a sob, seeing him like this. I walk over to his bed, kneeling beside him and taking his hand. He twines our fingers together the best that he can. “If you somehow didn’t think I was ugly before…” he chuckles softly. “Shut up, Arthur.” I say, hot tears brimming my eyes. He turns his head slightly, trying to look at me through his swollen eyes. “I tried to keep my promise for you. I’m sorry.” He whispers. The tears finally streak down my cheeks as I gently pull him into an embrace, careful to avoid his shoulder.

“C’mere” he grunts, trying to sit up and make room for me on his bed. I stand and climb over him, nestling down next to him as he lies back down again. I rest my head on his chest while he twines our hands together once more and rubs a hand up and down my back. “I’m ok, it’s all ok.” He soothes me as tears continue to fall from my eyes. “I should be the one comforting you.” I laugh, sniffling.

“Nah” He smiles, shaking his head slightly.

“I’m glad you’re ok.” I tell him, burying my face into his chest. He squeezes me closer to him, wincing and grunting occasionally from the pain. He finally finds a somewhat comfortable position, and his breathing slows. I look over and find that he’s asleep. I smile to myself and listen to the rain on the canvas roof.       

 


	11. Chapter 11

The next few weeks pass slowly as Arthur heals from his injuries. Thankfully his shoulder regains full function and the swelling in his face subsides completely. I walk up behind him as he’s writing in his journal on the dock that extends into Flat Iron Lake. I watch him, sitting on a chair, writing so methodically. I wonder what he writes about all the time. I wrap my arms around his shoulders from behind, playfully pressing a kiss to his cheek, which catches him by surprise. He jumps but then laughs when he sees that it’s me. His beard has grown out, and it scratches my face when I nuzzle him. “Hmm you need to shave.”

Arthur strokes his dark beard, “Do I?” he has a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I thought you found my beard attractive Miss Abner.” He gives me a subtle wink to which I gently slap his shoulder and giggle. “And why do you think that Mister Morgan?” I banter back playfully. He looks away, seemingly deep in thought. “Hmm” he hums in his throat, “I think it was when you were moanin’ helplessly when I was kissin’ you against that tree. Said somethin’ about likin’ the way my beard felt against your skin.” He lifts his eyebrows suggestively at me. I laugh heartily, “So that’s how you remember it, huh?” His smile makes me melt dreamily. I lean in close as I whisper in his ear, “I love the beard. You look very handsome.” I press a quick kiss to his cheek again before I wander off. I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away, so I sway my hips just slightly from side to side, showing off my physique. I hear him make a low whistle and I laugh, turning around. He’s making a suggestive ‘Ooh’ face, eyebrows knit in concentration at me. God, he’s something else. He makes me so happy.

 

The next day we move our camp to an old plantation house called “Shady Belle”. It doesn’t take too long to get everything set up, especially with Arthur, Dutch, and the Marstons sleeping inside. I’m sitting on my cot, daydreaming, when Arthur approaches my tent. “Hey” he smiles. I perk up, happy to see him. “Hey.” I smile back.

“You wanna come into Saint Denis with me and John? Thought we could finally get you your own guns and a horse.” He beams excitedly. It’s so adorable. I nod and then the three of us are riding into town, John on Old Boy, and Arthur and I on his dappled grey Hungarian Halfbred. Thankfully I had kept the precious gold bar underneath my pillow even during the move, so our first stop is the Fence. I get a very decent price, so our next stop is the gunsmith. John helps me pick out some pistols, rifles, and shotguns. We also buy gun oil to keep my guns in pristine condition. We thank the shopkeeper and walk down to the stables. I can tell Arthur is excited, this is his time to shine. My heart throbs just watching him shake hands with the stable-hand, talking about horses with him like a passionate child. John points to a tall Draft with a Blue Roan coat. I nod, appreciating its beauty. Then Arthur is beside me, trying to help me choose. I gaze amongst the many stalls, and my eyes rest upon a tall stallion, his coat dark bay. “That one” I say instantly. Arthur nods in agreement, “He’s a fine horse, an Andalusian.” The stable-hand leads the horse out of his stall, his coat shiny and gleaming. I pay the man for the horse and buy some tack and provisions as well, making sure to stock up on hay and carrots especially. The stable-hand tacks my new horse up for me, handing me a grooming brush, which I stuff into my satchel. I thank him and lead the stallion out of the stable with John and Arthur. John mounts up and chuckles as he watches Arthur and I interact with each other. Arthur offers me a leg up as I settle into my new saddle. I give my horse a loving pat, waiting for Arthur to mount before we all gallop back to camp.

 

As we slow the horses to a halt at the hitching station and dismount, I get some whistles and compliments about my new horse from the camp. I blush, smiling. I feel a hand rubbing up and down my back, and turn to see Arthur giving me a sweet and sincere smile. _This is so nice_ , I think as I look out over my new friends and our lovely camp and then back to Arthur. He presses a quick kiss to my temple and gives my hand a squeeze before he walks around camp, making his rounds for chores. I settle back in my tent, book in hand, when Hosea comes up to me. “Ah, Miss Abner!” he chides delightedly, “Dutch and I have been scoping out Saint Denis for the past couple of weeks before we moved camp, and I think we have a job I’d like you to join us for.” He fills me in on the details, being invited to the Mayor’s lavish party, dressing up like high society folk. I’m instantly intrigued, and accept his offer. “Great! We’ll need to buy some appropriate clothes beforehand, and we could probably all use a bath as well.” He snickers, discreetly pointing at Arthur. I giggle.

 

We wander the streets of Saint Denis, looking for outfits that will help us blend in at the Mayor’s house. I can’t lie, I’m a bit excited. I’ve never been to a party like this before, and I’d love to see Arthur in a suit. We all go into different shops, purchasing our outfits and then heading to the hotel to get our baths. Then I head to the barber to have my hair styled for the party. As the barber is making my hair poofy and wavy, Arthur comes in and sits down next to me, mesmerized by my dark locks. “What are you doin’ here?” I ask curiously. He snaps out of his daze, “Hosea don’t want me lookin’ like a mountain man.” He snickers, “gotta fit in with these rich folk and can’t be lookin’ too wild.” He gives me a sly smile to which I reply, “Well I think you look great no matter how you look, if that makes you feel any better.” I give him a sideways glance, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. He blushes a dark crimson but returns my smile. I leave the barber before Arthur is finished so when he comes out he smiles at me sheepishly. His hair is a little bit shorter, looking much tidier around his face. His beard is still there, but is short, trimmed and neat. Just like he looked when I first met him. My heart leaps a bit in my chest. Without really thinking, I reach out and run a hand through his hair. It’s so soft. “I like it.” I barely say above a whisper. He lets out a breath and takes a step towards me. Hosea clears his throat awkwardly, “C’mon you two. We have a party to get ready for.”

 

Sadie lets me borrow her mirror to put on my makeup as she helps me into my dress. It’s a deep blue, floor-length ball gown. It’s sleeveless, and is just slightly shiny, like satin. It’s elegant but simple. The front of the dress has a bit of a dipped V-line, revealing just a bit of cleavage. A large bow rests around my waist and is tied in the back. I pair the dress with black heels and pop on a bit of red lipstick. I fluff my hair around my shoulders, letting it cascade down my chest, falling gently below my breasts. “How do I look?” I ask, giving Sadie a twirl. “God _damn_ , Arthur is absolutely gonna lose his mind when he sees you.”

I laugh, leaving her tent to wait for the others by the fountain. The rest of the gang gathers around to gawk at my appearance, showering me with compliments to which I blush furiously. The front doors to the house open, revealing Hosea, Dutch, and Bill all looking quite nice. Hosea makes a low whistle when he sees me, “Wow, beautiful. Can’t wait to see Arthur’s reaction.” He muses. They climb into the carriage, waiting for Trelawny to arrive to drive us to the party. I look at the ground nervously when I hear the doors open again. I look up to see Arthur, his eyes raking over my body, from head to toe. His face is burning red, and his jaw hangs open slightly. I can hear Hosea snickering from the coach. Arthur walks up to me, having trouble finding words. “You look—God—you look absolutely incredible.” He stammers. “Thank you, so do you” I reply nervously, admiring the way his black suit conforms to his muscular frame. “Very nice.” I say again, nodding. It’s like he’s in a trance, he can’t move or say anything, just continually looks me up and down again and again. My cheeks burn with nervousness, and at the same time, desire. The way he looks at me….it makes me feel like a goddess. “Come on you two! Trelawny’s here!” Dutch yells from the coach, voice cracking slightly like it does when he raises his tone. I walk next to Arthur, and he helps me into the carriage, taking a seat next to me before Trelawny coaxes the horses forward. “You look absolutely divine, Miss Abner” Dutch says, tipping his top-hat slightly. Bill and Hosea nod in agreement. I smile appreciatively at them. Then Hosea pipes up, “so, what’s our plan when we get there?” They talk about the plan but the conversation fades out of my focus as I look out the window. As we get onto the bridge that leads into Saint Denis, the ride gets a bit bumpy. Not used to wearing low tops, I don’t notice my breasts jiggling a bit as the carriage moves. I only notice when I look over at Arthur, who’s trying so very hard not to watch them. I look down and flush, and then hear Arthur visibly swallow. I give his hand a gentle squeeze, letting him know that it’s ok. He sighs shakily and looks around the coach. The others are all still caught up in talking, they’re not watching us. His gaze moves back to my breasts, his brows knit together as he watches me. He squeezes my hand harder. I look over at him and notice a bulge starting to visibly swell in his pants. That familiar heat starts to pool low within me again. He shifts in his seat uncomfortably, trying to hide his growing erection.

 

Finally the carriage stops, and Arthur almost sighs a breath of relief. I giggle under my breath, absolutely loving the way he watched me, and how hard he got just from looking at me. My core starts to tingle, and I have to hold back the urge to moan. Arthur’s watching my face intently, realizing I’m so turned on by how affected he is. He gives me a look that I agree with wholeheartedly, ‘ _Fuck, this party is going to be so hard to get through.’_

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some serious smut in this chapter, hope y'all enjoy!

Arthur hops out of the coach, holding his hand out to me while I step down. Trelawny gives us a nod and then clicks to the horses, moving down the street. As we enter through the front gate of the house, the guys turn their guns in. I didn’t bring any of mine so I continue walking, marveling at this gorgeous, massive house. Arthur catches up to me as we walk through the front doors into the entrance hall. Our group is met by butlers offering us glasses of champagne. I happily accept, sipping from the crystal flute. The butler continues to lead us through the house until we stop at the back doors, which he opens. The garden outside blows my mind. Gorgeous flowers and fountains surrounded by a mill of people dressed in their finest clothes. Arthur touches the small of my back as we descend down the steps outside. Dutch turns to all of us, reminding us of our roles. Apparently my job is to schmooze the mayor, and flirt with other important guests to distract them while Arthur grabs the papers upstairs. _Great,_ I think, rolling my eyes.  Arthur doesn’t seem too thrilled about that either. Well, one thing’s for sure, I’m gonna need more alcohol in me for that. I down my glass of champagne as I reach for another from a nearby tray. Arthur just watches me as I start on my second drink. Meanwhile, he’s casually sipping his first glass. I offer him a coy smile, “I really don’t wanna do this, so might as well be a little tipsy.” He laughs against his glass as he takes another sip. “I understand.” He tells me, still watching me in that trance-like state.

Bill claps Arthur on the back, “Alright Morgan, let’s mingle for a bit and then get to work.” Arthur nods as Bill heads into the crowd.  I finish my second glass of champagne and grab a third as I follow Bill into the throng of people. I sigh in content, starting to feel the alcohol work its magic. Pretty soon, I’m loosened up and feeling more confident. I make my way around the courtyard, trying to pick out the most important and well-dressed looking men. I laugh at all their stupid remarks, even playfully touching some of their arms. I get a lot of good info into their wealth and how they made their fortune. A couple of men even ask me to stop by their homes sometime, “to get a tour.” I try to suppress a gag as I smile in a charming fashion. Then I’m headed over to the mayor, who’s surrounded by a few other men. Everyone stops to look at me as I approach. “My god,” the mayor states, “you must be the most gorgeous creature I have ever laid my eyes upon.” The others nod in agreement, and I suddenly feel extremely uncomfortable, but the show must go on. “What’s your name, miss?” He asks, taking my hand and kissing the back of it. “Er, Piper. Miss Piper Abner.” I offer him a polite smile, as some classical music starts to play. He lifts his scraggly eyebrows at me, asking me for a dance. _Guess I can’t say no,_ I think to myself bitterly. I nod as he takes my hand in his, and uses his other hand to pull me flush against him, keeping his hand on my hip. I swallow, trying to keep my breathing calm because I am just so disgusted. We dance for a few minutes until I hear someone clear their throat. Henri Lemieux and I look over to see Arthur, looking quite annoyed. He asks the mayor if he can dance with me, and the mayor begrudgingly obliges. I feel much more comfortable as I dance with Arthur, him holding me so close it feels almost possessive which makes me shudder with desire. “I was startin’ to get jealous there” He chuckles in my ear. I grin, “I could tell. How’d you get on with those papers?”

“I got ‘em in my coat pocket.”

We continue to dance when all of a sudden the sky lights up with the most beautiful colors. The fireworks absolutely mesmerize me as Arthur and I stop to look up at them. “Wow” I breathe. He’s got his eyes on me again, and then he gently tugs on my hand. “Come with me.” He says in a husky voice. I let him lead me away from everyone else as we head back into the house and go upstairs. I laugh, “Arthur, where are you takin’ me?” We round a corner that leads to another hallway, his hand still in mine, leading me. We find a small study and head inside, with him closing the door quietly. Then he’s pressing himself into me, kissing me with desperate need. I moan into his mouth as he backs me up to a desk in the center of the room. He lifts me up to sit on the desk as he continues to kiss me. “God you are the most beautiful woman I think I’ve ever seen.” He breathes between kisses. I blush but snicker softly, “what’s gotten into you, mister Morgan?” He stops to look at me, his beautiful eyes staring into mine. “Been thinkin’ about this all night. The way you look, watchin’ you flirt with those other men. Driving me nuts.” He smiles against our kiss. “I haven’t been able to get our last kiss out of my head, neither.” He says as he jerks my hips forward slightly on the desk. I gasp quietly as he snakes a hand under my dress, slowly caressing my thigh. I let out a whine as his fingers trail upwards. His hand finds my scar, and he traces a finger over it gently.

“I wanna see how it’s healed up.” He says to me, eyes dark with lust and fiery with want. “Just wanna check.” My lips part slightly as he lifts up my dress and bunches it around my waist. He lets out a deep groan from his chest when he looks at me. He pushes closer to me with his torso, urging my legs open, all the while still kissing me breathless. His hand moves to my underwear, where he can already feel how wet I am. He kisses my neck as his fingers move my panties to one side, using his thumb to gently rub my sensitive bud. I let out a loud gasp, clutching to him which makes him shudder. “Fuck” I breathe. His kisses move back to my mouth as he continues to rub faster, swallowing my moans as they come out. I’m trying my best to stay quiet but he’s making me feel so damn good. Suddenly, he grabs my hips roughly and moves me down so that I’m propped on my elbows, making me more accessible for him. He stops to watch my reaction as he pushes his index finger inside of me. My face goes slack, eyes screwed shut. I can hear him breathing “fuck” under his breath. I open my eyes as he inserts a second finger, starting to pump in and out. I whimper and whine, trying to bite my lip to keep quiet. His mouth is parted slightly, his breathing shallow as he watches me. Then, he goes into me deep, keeping his fingers there as he curls them. I can’t help it, I let out a loud whine, which seems to drive him insane. His lips crash down onto mine again, his fingers still curling inside me. I can barely kiss him back as I can’t stop moaning.

He’s pressed so tightly against me that I can feel just how hard he is which arouses me even more. I feel myself start to unravel and he can tell, because he puts his thumb back on my clit while he fingers me, pressing into it lightly. I cry out, digging my nails into his arm. He growls, a primal sound that is so incredibly sexy. He takes his fingers out to focus completely on my clit as he rubs it in quick circular motions. I whimper, knowing that I’m close. He uses his other hand to palm one of my breasts. My dress is too tight for him to get under with the bow around my waist, so he just palms over it from the outside. Then his hand moves to the back of my neck, holding the base of my head gently as he kisses me once more while continually rubbing my overstimulated bud. That’s when I finally come undone, spasming against him as I find my release. He buries his face in the crook of my neck as I come down from my glorious high. Panting, I offer him a breathy smile when he pulls away. He kisses my lips once more, lingering, before he moves my underwear back into place and pulls my dress down. “Holy _fuck_ , Arthur.” I gasp, laughing. As I stand up off the desk, he’s adjusting the crotch of his pants uncomfortably. His bulge is so large that his paints are straining. My eyes flick from his erection to his lidded eyes, and I bite my lip. I put my hand on his shoulder as I push him back against the door.

I take one of his big hands and place it on my ass, where he instinctively bunches up the fabric in his palm, anticipating. Then my fingers get to working on the buttons of his trousers. It’s hard to get a grip around them because his pants have grown so tight. Finally I get his pants undone, pulling them down just enough that his straining cock springs free. He’s so aroused that he’s started leaking pre-cum. _Holy shit. His dick is massive._ He presses his hand against my ass, pulling me slightly closer. I wrap a hand around his thick cock and he hisses, jerking slightly. I wrap my other hand in his hair and slowly pepper his neck with kisses. He groans loudly, and I can feel him shaking from how badly he wants me to touch him. That’s when I take my thumb and press right under his sensitive tip, rubbing in small circles. He moans and bucks into my hand involuntarily. “ _Fuck,_ Piper. _Jesus.”_ I smile flirtatiously as I let my hand travel down the rest of his member, stopping at the base. Before I really start though, I lift my hand to my mouth, collecting a bit of my spit to use as lube. I reach my hand back down to him as I start stroking with my wet hand. He whines loudly, hips jerking slightly. I want to make him feel really good though, so I take his hand off my ass, and he gives me a quizzical look. Then I get down on my knees in front of him and his eyes nearly roll back into his head when he realizes what I’m doing. His cock swells even more. I lick around his tip before I fully take him into my mouth, which makes him shiver and whimper. I try to take as much of him down my throat as I can, but I start to gag, eyes watering. I grab the base of his dick to steady myself as I bob my mouth up and down on him quickly. His hands tangle into my hair, his knees buckling slightly. I go faster as I try to keep my mouth as tight around him as possible. He’s looking down at me, eyebrows knit together and eyes barely able to stay open. With every bob I make, his eyes close again as another wave of pleasure crashes down on him. Then, his hips start bucking a bit, like he just can’t help himself, which is so incredibly hot. He pulls my head closer to him, forcing me to take all of him in my mouth. I try to breathe through it as I let him take over the pace. He tries to be as gentle as he can but I can tell he’s been wanting this for a long time. He’s still trying to restrain himself. I give his thigh a squeeze, trying to let him know he doesn’t have to hold back so much. Picking up on my cue, his hips get a little rougher. My hands are braced on the walls beside him as he fucks my throat. He’s grunting with every thrust, shaking with pleasure. “ _Fuck. Oh my fuck.”_ His moans are getting louder, more desperate. His hips start moving erratically and I know that he’s close, his hands still tangled in my hair. With a few more thrusts he lets out a loud moan. I’m forced to swallow every drop of his cum, as his dick is still pretty far into my mouth. I move my head back, jaw sore as hell. I stand up, putting his cock back in his pants and buttoning him back up. He’s breathing hard, open-mouthed panting. His hair sticks to his forehead a bit from sweat. I run my hands through his hair, tidying it up, and then straighten out my own. “ _Jesus, Piper. God that was—fuck. That was amazing.”_ I give him a wry smile and clean myself up a bit. I go back towards the door, him still towering above me. _He’s so tall._ He gently takes my head in his hands and presses a kiss to the top of my head before moving his mouth down and giving me a kiss on my lips. I reapply my lipstick, hoping it won’t be too obvious to the others that Arthur and I were up to something. He opens the door for me, still panting a bit. Then he’s following me down the stairs and we meet up with the others. Dutch scowls, “What the hell took you two so long?”

Arthur clears his throat, “Uhh, just had a bit of a hard time getting those papers. Had to ask Piper for help distractin’ a guard outside Lemieux’s office.” Arthur throws me a sideways glance, and I nod. Dutch seems suspicious, but lets it go. “Ok, well it’s time for us to leave. Trelawny is waiting outside for us, so let’s head out.” We all exit the house, the guys all grabbing their guns before we climb into the coach. I sigh contentedly, “That was a fun party.” I smile cheekily.            


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of a fluff chapter, lots of romantic feels :)

When we arrive back at camp, it’s late. Obviously exhausted from tonight’s events I yawn when I climb out of the coach. Arthur rubs my back sleepily. “You sleepin’ out here tonight?” He asks me nonchalantly. We’ve only ever fallen asleep together once and it was after he escaped from the O’Dsricolls. He was in so much pain, and the bed was so small, that I barely got much rest that night anyways. I let out another yawn, covering my mouth with my hand. I nod sleepily. “I think so.” I give him a smile. He lingers, and I can tell he wants to ask if he can stay with me, but doesn’t want to impose or seem rude. I chuckle, “you wanna sleep down here tonight?” He smiles, nodding.

“Just gotta go get changed first.” He says.

“I do too. Don’t know where I’m gonna put this ridiculous dress.”

“You can put it in my room, there’s a chest up there I can put it in if you want.”

I smile appreciatively and we head into the house. I change in a different room than Arthur, feeling shy for some reason despite everything that happened tonight. Once I slip out of my dress and heels, I throw on a simple blouse and trousers to sleep in, not really having any proper sleeping attire. I pad back down the hallway, knocking quietly on Arthur’s door. “Come in” he says.

I open the door, folding the dress and putting it away. I look over at him, he’s wearing a soft long-sleeved shirt with trousers. “We should really actually get some clothes to sleep in.” I muse. He nods his head in agreement.

 

We head back down the stairs, trying not to creak the floorboards too much for fear we’ll wake everyone up. When we get outside, the air feels nice. Warm, but not as humid as it is during the daytime. We saunter over to my tent. I frown at my single-person cot. “You mind if we sleep on bedrolls? We’ll have more room that way.” I ask.

“I don’t mind.”

I take two bedrolls out of the chest in my tent and lay them down, grabbing extra blankets and the two pillows from my cot. I lay down with a sigh, and Arthur lays down beside me covering us with blankets. I roll over, and he scooches up behind me, spooning me. He rests his chin on my shoulder. “I really enjoyed tonight.” He whispers in my ear.

“Yea, me too.” I whisper back.

He presses a tender kiss below my ear and then we fall asleep.

 

The next morning, I wake up before Arthur. I gently wriggle out of his embrace and step outside my tent, closing the flaps back up before heading to get some stew. I sit next to Sadie, giving her a sleepy smile. “Mornin’” I drawl to her, she says good morning back.

“Have fun last night?” she asks, taking a sip of coffee. “Mmhmm.” I reply, pouring myself a cup. “Got some good info on a few people at the party and Arthur was able to snag some papers from the mayor’s office.” Sadie looks impressed, then her expression softens into a sly smile. “So….what did Arthur think of the dress? I mean we all saw how he reacted coming out of the house, but surely his gawking didn’t stop there?” She takes another sip of coffee.

I laugh, “I think he really liked the dress.” I tell her. She lifts her eyebrows at me, “Like really really liked it?”

I shrug. “I think so.”

She chuckles, “so is that why he slept in your tent with you last night?” she gives me a sly look, trying not to laugh.

“Huh?”

“Did you two, you know, _sleep together?_ ”

I blush, “Oh! No, no.” I laugh. “But we shared a few really nice kisses.” I say warmly. She sets down her coffee tin. “That all?” she waggles her eyebrows at me playfully.

I roll my eyes, “Yes Sadie, goodness.” I laugh, and she nods.

“Real happy for you two. Overheard Hosea sayin’ the other day he hasn’t seen Arthur happy like this in a long, long time.”

My heart does a little _ba-dum._ “Really?” I ask, biting my lip. She nods again. My head feels floaty, because I haven’t been this happy in a long, long time either.

 

 

I finish my stew and start working on my morning chores. I decide I should probably try to find some more treasure soon to keep Dutch satiated. I worry about the gold. I’ve been with the gang for a few months now, and still no good leads. I wonder if I can try to use some of the treasure I collect today and pass it off for my father’s supposed gold. Then I shake my head, Dutch is too smart for that. Plus he’d want to retrieve the gold himself I’m sure.

I finish feeding the chickens, and moving the hay bales for the horses when I sit down at the table by the fire pit. I hear multiple people chuckling, so I turn my head to see Arthur _finally_ emerging from my tent. It’s late morning by this point, probably 11:30 or so. He’s the last one up, which is unusual for him. He looks around awkwardly before joining me at the table, a bowl of stew in hand. He yawns. “Mornin’” he gives me a sweet smile and takes a bite of stew. I rest my hand on my cheek, elbow on the table. “Good mornin’” I smile back. “You sleep ok?”

He nods, chuckling. “Yea, I slept _very_ well.” He looks up at me as he takes another bite, then offers me a small smile. “Did you?” he asks earnestly.

“Yea, I actually did sleep pretty well. The ground wasn’t too comfortable though.” I laugh. Arthur nods in agreement, chuckling along with me. He finishes his stew and gets up, taking his bowl back over to the fire where the stew pot is. I stand up too, stretching my arms above my head. Then he comes up behind me, wrapping me in a tight hug. I smile, resting my arms on top of his. He kisses my cheek, and then rests his chin on the top of my head. I hear Micah scoff from across the camp, “Ugh, Jesus you two, cut that shit out.” Arthur rolls his eyes as Micah makes a gagging noise so I speak up, “Shut your damn mouth, ya dick.”

He scowls at me, so I smirk back. Then I pull away from Arthur to face him,

 

 “I think I’m gonna try to get some more of that treasure today for Dutch. What are you doin’ today?” I ask him.

“I’ve gotta collect some debts for Strauss, unfortunately.”

I notice his somber expression, “I know how much you hate doin’ that, Arthur. Maybe I can sell some of this loot before I get back here so you have some cash for him if you want. I think it’d make you feel better about yourself. I know how low you feel whenever you come back from one of his errands.”

“Thank you, Piper. Means a lot.” He gives me a grateful smile. I nod back at him, “No problem.”

“I guess I’ll go speak with Dutch and Hosea about this bank job they’re planning, but you wanna do somethin’ tonight?”

I give him a confused look. “What do you mean?”

He smiles, his eyes are dazzling. “Iunno, maybe we could go out to dinner in Saint Denis?”

I beam, “are you askin’ me on a date, Arthur?”

He looks down sheepishly, his face starting to flush. “Yea I s’pose I am. Is that ok?” He smiles, melting my heart.

“I’d love to” My grin widens.

 

 

I’m looking at the map from the back of my horse, scrunching my face in concentration. _I think I’m at the right spot…?_ I look up from the map, gazing over the beautiful waters of O’Creagh’s Run. _This is such a beautiful little spot. I want to spend more time up here._ I dismount, letting my horse graze. I stuff the map in my saddlebag in case it gets wet when I’m on the water. I look around for a boat, seeing a dock by a small cabin. I head over to the dock and settle in the canoe, heading for the island in the middle of the lake. As I paddle, I look down. Crystal clear water underneath me, with beautiful fish looking at me curiously. The water is so clear that I can see straight to the bottom, admiring the gorgeous underwater landscape.

 

I pull the boat up onto the rocky shore of the small island. I step onto the earth, climbing up a tall slope. I find the loot on the other side of the land mass—a heavy gold bar.

 

I collect some more loot on my way back to camp, following the treasure maps. Then I stop at the Fence in Rhodes, selling a few smaller items to get the cash for Strauss. Feeling satisfied, I return to Shady Belle, hitching my Andalusian. I tow my treasure to Dutch, who looks delighted with everything I’ve found, even giving me a pat on the back. The sun is starting to set as I sit down by the fire, exhausted and achy from riding all day. Arthur sits on the ground beside me. “Hey, how’d your day go?” I think he’s so sweet, I wish he wouldn’t be so hard on himself all the time. I smile at him, “it was good, found some good stuff. How’d the talk with Dutch and Hosea go?”

Arthur shrugs, “Good I s’pose. I think we’re all hitting the bank tomorrow.”

I nod slowly, trying to fight my fatigue. Arthur rubs a hand up and down my back, “you look tired. You still wanna go to Saint Denis?” I nod, smiling sleepily. He chuckles, “you know, we can do it another night.”

I shake my head, “why don’t we just do it here? Set up a little fire by the water.”

His face lights up, “That sounds really nice. C’mon, I’ll help you up.” He stands, extending both hands to me. I take them and brush off my trousers.

“Oh! I almost forgot something,” I take the cash out of my satchel, handing it to Arthur.

“Thank you again, Piper. I really appreciate this.” He says as he stuffs the money into his satchel, and then gives me a grateful smile. “I’ll put it in the collection box tomorrow, but for now, follow me.” Arthur grabs some wood from the firewood pile and I grab my bedrolls before we head over to the water, careful to avoid any alligators. He sets up the fire and I lay out the bedrolls. He takes some meat out of his satchel and starts cooking for us. I look at him with the light of the fire on his face, smiling dreamily. I think back to what Sadie told me earlier… _”Hosea said he hasn’t seen Arthur happy like this in a long, long time.”_

Butterflies tickle my stomach, making me sigh longingly. He looks up at me, laughing lightly. “What’re you lookin’ at me like that for?”

“I’m just happy to be here with you”

He looks down at the meat, turning it once to cook the other side. Then he scooches over to me, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head. “I’m happy too.” He says as he rests his cheek on my head. He turns his face to me slightly, placing a finger underneath my chin, tilting it towards him. We kiss tenderly, savoring the warmth of the fire and the calming sound of crickets and frogs as the setting sun dips below the horizon.

 

When the meat is finished, we eat it hungrily. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was, not really eating much today due to treasure hunting. Arthur pulls out a bottle of wine from his satchel. “Went out and got this today for our date.” He says sheepishly. My heart thuds.

“Oh Arthur, that’s so sweet. Thank you.” He nods, pulling out two cups and pouring us each some wine.

“I know this ain’t the fanciest set-up, but I hope you like it.” He smiles at me genuinely.

“It’s perfect” I say, watching his face. He seems insecure about it, like he didn’t do a good enough job.

“It’s perfect, Arthur.” I say again as I move closer to him, climbing into his lap and straddling him as he rests against a log. I trace the stubble of his jaw with my fingers, admiring him. I look into his beautiful eyes, which are watching me. I dip my head to his face, kissing him gingerly. His arms wrap around me, one hand splayed on my lower back as he pulls me down towards him again. The he pulls away, staring into my eyes, searching my face. “Now you’re the one lookin’ at me all weird.” I muse.

“I just…I’m really happy we found you at that camp. You’ve made me happier than I’ve been in a really long time and—I really care about you.” He nuzzles my neck, pressing me against him again.

“Me too, Arthur.” I pull away from his nuzzling to give him another kiss, this one a bit more passionate.

 

The rest of the night we enjoy the wine Arthur bought, and joke around with each other. Then we lay down on the bedrolls, gazing at the stars until the fire goes out. He opens his arms for me and I snuggle down against him, putting my head on his chest. His hand is wrapped around my shoulder, rubbing my arm idly with his thumb. He presses a soft kiss to my forehead and we doze off, still holding each other. _This was the nicest date I think I’ve ever had._   

     


	14. Chapter 14

I’m nervous. I join Abigail and Hosea in creating a distraction as Arthur and everyone else infiltrates the bank. We’re all dressed in our nice clothes, with bandanas equipped as well. My hands sweat, my head feels dizzy. I’ve never done a job this intense before. The city is already crawling with policemen. Hosea makes eye contact with me as he pushes the plunger and the building across the street explodes, hurtling ash and debris into the street below. Insanity ensues, chaos reigns. People scream and run. I watch as the rest of the gang enters the bank. My insides are twisting with anxiety and fear. _What if this goes wrong?_ Abigail puts a hand on my shoulder, “Hey, you ok? You’re shaking.” I look down at myself and see that she’s right.

“Just nervous.” I offer a meek smile. She nods, “that’s normal. This is a pretty big job. It’ll be fine, they know what they’re doing.” I gulp and stare across the street at the bank, hoping with all my heart that Arthur will be ok.

Suddenly, rough hands pin my arms behind my back, and I see Hosea and Abigail have been captured as well. _Pinkertons._ I grit my teeth. _Fuck._ They guide us through the street, and stop us in front of the bank doors. “DUTCH, GET OUT HERE NOW.” Booms the agent holding me. Sweat trickles on my brow, my knees feel weak. The agent is holding a gun to my head. Heads pop out of the bank through broken windows. Arthur locks eyes with me, his face drained of color. I see him try to reload his revolver discreetly.

“I wouldn’t do that Mr. Morgan.” The agent says.

Arthur swallows a lump forming in his throat. He looks so scared, so worried for me. I never take my eyes off him, even with the gun pressed against my skull. My arms are burning from being held so tightly. Arthur mouths something to me, _I’ll make sure you’re ok._

I try to smile but end up crying instead. The agent knocks my head violently with the gun, making the world swirl around me. Black dots encompass my vision; a splitting pain erupts on the side of my head. I suddenly feel nauseous from the pain. He scolds me, “Hush!”

I can’t keep my eyesight level, but I do see Arthur. I’ve never seen him look so angry. His knuckles are white against the handle of his gun. His jaw is clenched and his mouth is set in a scowl. His eyes are watching the agent who’s restraining me, and they’re filled with sheer hatred.

“Please. Let her go, let them go.” I hear Arthur say in a low voice. I feel disembodied. My head hurts so fucking badly. The agent’s grip tightens around my arms, making me whimper in pain.

“I gave you enough chances. Either you come out here right now and surrender, or I kill her.” He cocks the gun against my skull.

Arthur’s eyes widen and without thought, he exits the bank, hands in the air. His voice is wavering, “Please. Please don’t hurt her.”

I can hear Dutch hissing at Arthur, “Get back here now!” Arthur stops in front of the agent and myself, and I can see that his eyes are starting to glisten with tears. “Please” he begs again. The agent releases my arms, but in a quick movement his arm is around my shoulders, knife against my throat. Now he’s got his gun aimed at Arthur, and a steel blade aimed at my jugular. I close my eyes, tears flowing freely down my face.

“Do you like her, Mr. Morgan?” The agent sneers. I open my eyes again, looking at Arthur. That same anger has returned to his face, but he continues to hold his hands up.

“Maybe even love her?” he pauses. “She’s real pretty Mr. Morgan, you’ve got good taste.” The knife presses harder against my throat, but doesn’t break the skin. “How would you like it if I slit her throat?” The agent’s voice is dripping with anger.

“Don’t. Hurt. Her.” Arthur says through clenched teeth. The agent scoffs, but before he can reply, Dutch’s gunshots shatter the air. Arthur takes this chance to charge into the agent holding me, letting me escape. Arthur topples to the ground, straddling the man and beating him senseless. “Arthur!” I scream, which makes my head pound even worse. Arthur continues beating the man. “Arthur, stop!” The man’s face is barely recognizable now, the bones being crushed over and over. I grab Arthur’s arm before he can land another blow. “Stop! He’s dead. He’s dead.” I feel sick looking at the man’s deformed face. Arthur is breathing heavily, looking into my eyes with fear. He gets up as shots continue to fly, grabbing me and hiding us behind a wagon on the street. I crane my head just enough to see Hosea and Abigail scurry out of view, running behind a nearby building.

Arthur leaves his cover every few seconds, shooting at the policemen. “ _Shit.”_ He reloads effortlessly. He ducks behind the wagon again, turning to me. “Are you ok? God I’m so sorry, Piper.” He asks frantically. He gently takes my head in his hands, inspecting the gash on my scalp. “Jesus.”

That can’t be good, I think to myself.

“Ok, we’re gonna get outta here and we’re gonna get you fixed up.” He exits cover again, shooting, before returning to me. He’s looking at me with such guilt, such self-loathing.

“It’s not your fault.” I say. He shakes his head, “I’m so sorry you got hurt. I feel like it _is_ my fault.”

“It’s not.”

I pause, looking back at the dead agent in the street. He notices me looking and hangs his head. “I’m real sorry you had to see that. I just got so angry seein’ him hurtin’ you.” He pauses. “Told you I’m a bad man. I really hope you ain’t scared of me now.” His voice quivers as he says the last part. I put a hand on his shoulder, and he lifts his head, meeting my gaze.

“No, Arthur. I’m not afraid of you. You were protectin’ me.”

He exhales, watching my face. Then he exits his cover again, unloading more shots into the policemen. The rest of the firefight goes by in a blur, my headache twisting the world around me in pain and confusion. Suddenly the pain becomes too unbearable, and I pass out.

 

I wake up back in camp, with Abigal, Hosea and Sadie hovering over me. I reach up and touch my head, finding that it’s bandaged, and the pain has subsided somewhat. “W-what happened?” I slur.

“You passed out from the pain. Arthur was able bring you to where Hosea and I were hiding before going back into the firefight. He and the rest of the gang got separated from us, so we escaped Saint Denis and took you to a doctor in Lagras. He cleaned and stitched your wound and gave you some pain medicine. He said it shouldn’t take too long to heal.” I look down at my hands. “Thank you both” I whisper.

Sadie takes my hand in hers, “You should know something Piper. Arthur, Dutch, Bill, Javier, and Micah tried to escape the city but they were surrounded. Dutch led the guys onto a boat. Arthur didn’t want to leave you, but Dutch made him go anyways. I’m not sure where the boat is headed or when they’ll be back. Lenny told us.” I look up and see Lenny sitting near the fire, his expression somber. My throat feels dry, and my heart thuds against my ribcage.

_Arthur?_

_Please don’t leave…_

_I’ll miss you…_    

 

     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually really liked Guarma tbh


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments, they really make my day!! <3

Hours stretch into days, which then stretch into weeks. My head has healed up nicely, and we returned to the doctor to get my stitches removed. The thin scar that was left behind is covered by my lush hair. My heart aches for Arthur, fearing the worst. Fearing that he’s died. Silent tears stream down my cheeks as I try to push the thought from my mind. Sadie instructs everyone to pack up camp, leaving a note for “Uncle Tacitus” on one of the tables inside Shady Belle. Over the next few hours, we pack up the camp and supplies, taking our horses and not looking back as we head for Lakay.

It doesn’t take us long to get set up in Lakay, and everyone, including myself, praises Sadie immensely for her leadership. I sit on a tree stump outside the small shack we’ve gathered in. My head is in my hands, and despite the humid swamp air, I feel cold. _I miss Arthur._ Fears swirl inside my head. I feel so alone despite being surrounded by the rest of the gang here. I wonder if I’ll ever see Arthur again, but the pit in my stomach tells me I probably won’t. _I think I was…._ I wince, trying to hold back tears. But my heart screams at me, and I realize I can’t deny it anymore. _I think I was starting to fall in love with him._ I start to sob into my hands. _Why’d I let myself become so attached?_  

 

Another week passes, camp chores continuing as normal. I try to spend as much of my time as I can collecting treasure, keeping myself away from camp, away from my memories of _him._ When the loneliness becomes too unbearable, I decide to ride back to Clemens Point, looking over the expanse of the lake. I wrap my arms around myself, letting myself cry. This is where I first started to get to know him. His beautiful eyes, his wonderful smile and adorable laugh. The way the firelight flickered against his tan skin. The stubble on his jaw. His brownish golden locks framing his face perfectly. My head hurts, but my memories keep coming back to me. _Him saving me from the Raiders. Him saying I could stay. Him protecting me against that drunk man in the Rhodes saloon. Him yelling at me because he cared,_ I start to laugh. God, I was so angry. My memories keep spilling into my mind. _Our job with Sean in the tobacco fields. Our first kiss against that tree right outside of camp. Our shopping trip to Saint Denis. The way he looked at me in that dress, making me feel like I was the only woman in the world. That party….god, that party._ My face flushes just thinking about it. _Our first date…the most amazing date I’ve ever had. The way he reacted when the agent threatened me…and when he saved me again by taking me to Abigail and Hosea before returning to the firefight. Him. Just him._ I sob in earnest until I can’t cry anymore. My nose is stuffy and my head pounds. I take a few deep breaths, collecting myself before I head back to Lakay.

 

A few more days pass. I continue to grow more and more numb. Sadie occasionally asks me if I’m ok. I appreciate our friendship, she’s so caring, even if it hurts my heart when she asks how I am. Sadness perpetually wells inside my chest. I’m not even sure how long it’s been since the bank job. At least 3 weeks, a month, a month and a week? All I know is it feels like an eternity. _Too long._

 

That night, we all gather inside the house, eating stew solemnly. I imagine hooves plowing into the earth, running with frantic speed. _Coming home._ I smile sadly to myself. _That’s a pretty dream,_ I think to myself somberly. I finish my stew and leave the house, sitting near the water. I tuck my knees up to my chest.

The house grows loud, and I’m not sure why. I stay outside, too sad to care. I hear a door creak, boots squishing into the earth. _My imagination can go fuck itself._ I think bitterly, of course Arthur wouldn’t be here….but those footsteps sound like his. I don’t dare to turn around and look, too scared of being disappointed. “Piper…” _That’s his voice. That’s HIS voice. Arthur!!!_ I jump up, spinning around on my heels. my heart pounding so hard I’m afraid it might explode. Arthur stands before me, sunburnt and with a bushy beard, clothes tattered to hell, but _here._ I feel like my breath is caught in my throat…I don’t know what to say. He pulls me into a painfully tight hug. I sob against his shoulders, my body shaking. “I thought you had died. I thought….I thought I’d never see you again.” I say in between sobs. He pulls me against him tighter, if that’s even possible. He puts his hand on the back of my head, stroking my hair softly. I pull away, him letting go of me reluctantly. His cheeks are slick with tears, his eyes red.

“What happened?” I ask quietly.

He explains to me that after we got separated, they had to get on a boat, and that the boat set sail for Cuba. Arthur had begged Dutch to let him get the rest of the gang first before they left but Dutch said they didn’t have time. The ship capsized in a storm, stranding them on an island. He said he was surprised he even survived on the ocean before washing ashore. He tells me about the Haitian pirates and the Spanish militia, and that he learned the island they were on was called Guarma. Long story short, they had a hell of a fight to get through before they were able to grab a boat back. He said as soon as he got back to the United States, he rode his horse as fast as he could to Shady Belle. That his heart sunk seeing the place deserted. He explains finding the note that Sadie left him and his spirits lifting. He tells me how when he got here, all he wanted to do was see me. He had to ask where I was when he entered the shack. People were asking all these questions, but he told him he’d be right back and then he went to find me. I place my hands on his broad chest, burying my head into his shirt, crying quietly. He holds me again, resting his head atop mine, crying with me. Then he pulls away, cupping my face gently. He pulls me into a kiss. My fists bunch into the fabric on his back, which seems to shatter whatever restraint he had. He picks me up swiftly in his arms, carrying me over to my tent. He lays me down softly, resting over me, holding up his weight with his arms. He kisses me passionately, his beard tickling me. I grab the back of his neck, pulling him impossibly closer to me. Then he pulls away, looking into my eyes before resting his forehead on mine, breathing deeply. He leans back slightly, caressing my face sweetly. “I missed you so much, Piper.” He whispers to me.

My voice catches in my throat. “I missed you too, Arthur.”   

     


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback and comments are always appreciated! :)

As soon as we start to settle into our new camp, we have to leave. Pinkertons show up and destroy the place, trying to kill all of us as well. Apparently the guy Arthur beat up was Agent Milton, and I guess he was their leader. After Arthur decimates them with their own machine gun, we pack up again, this time moving into the mountains.

 

The first night in Beaver Hollow is fine, despite how fucked up the people in that cave were. _Jesus._ Seems like some strange people live around these parts. I huddle in front of the fire, shivering in the cool night air. I already gave the rest of my treasure to Dutch, but by now I think he probably expects it. Hopefully he’s given up on the rumored gold. Distracted by my thoughts I don’t realize that Arthur has sat down next to me on the log next to the fire. He’s trimmed his beard, making it neat and tidy again. He’s trimmed his hair a little as well. He looks unbelievably attractive, as always.

His voice brings me out of my head. “Cold?” He asks me. I nod earnestly, starting to shiver again. He opens his arms and gives me a smile. I scooch under his arm and rest my head against him. He wraps me in a warm embrace, trying to warm me up. I sigh happily against his chest. He kisses the top of my head softly. We stay like that for a while, perfectly content in our silence.

That night I stay in his tent with him. He holds me closely all night, nuzzling me and kissing me gently. I feel so relaxed around him, so comfortable. He makes me feel so safe and cared for.

The next morning we’re abruptly awoken by Micah’s obnoxious voice calling for a meeting by the fire. We groan and get up. He rifles through his chest and hands me one of his coats, the long blue one lined with fur. I giggle when he hands it to me, “It ain’t _that_ cold.”

He smiles at me, “You say that while you’re shivering.”

I hadn’t noticed. I don’t notice anything when I’m with Arthur, I only notice him. He throws on his tan coat and we head outside.

 

Micah drags on about these important missions and Murfree Broods and blah blah blah. I hate him so much. I’m tightly wrapped up in Arthur’s huge coat, but he has his arm around me anyways. When Micah has finally stopped running his mouth, everyone disperses. Arthur chuckles as he looks at me, my face almost obscured by the fur of his coat. “You look so cute.”

I giggle. “Cute, huh?” He chuckles and kisses my forehead.

Micah approaches us, looking disgusted. “You actually gonna be productive today?” He says to me.

“Uhhh, kinda think I’m more productive than you most days, Micah.”

He scowls at me. “You think you’re real funny don’t ya?” I stare at him. “Go over there and wash the laundry since you ain’t doin’ anything important.” I can feel Arthur tense behind me.

“No.” I scowl.

“No?”

“I ain’t listenin’ to you, asshole. Do your own damn laundry.”

Micah scoffs but his eyes flick to Arthur, who’s scowling down at him. Arthur’s starting to tense up again, and Micah, slightly intimidated, walks away. I exhale a breath in frustration. Arthur squeezes my hand, chuckling.

“Y’know, I think your stubbornness is one of the things I love most about you.” My heart _stops. Does he realize what he’s just said? Is he….?_ I look up at him, and he seems oblivious to the effect his words have had on me. I can feel myself smiling like a fool. _Does he love me?_ I feel excited, giddy. Before I can respond, Dutch calls Arthur over to him. Arthur gives me an apologetic look and strides over to Dutch’s tent. Dutch has his back to me, and Arthur’s eyes flick to mine, giving me a small smile. My blood is pumping from the adrenaline rush that came from Arthur’s words, making me hot. I strip off Arthur’s coat. Arthur glances at me over Dutch’s shoulder and a sly smile spreads across my lips. _I could have some fun with this._ I make sure no one else can see me, and then I start to slowly unbutton my blouse. One button, two buttons. My cleavage starts to show, revealing a bit of my bra as well. His eyes flick back to mine once more, not expecting me to be stripping for him. His eyes widen as he watches me tease him. I grin, seeing how entranced he is.

“Arthur!” Dutch snaps, making Arthur focus again.

I throw my shirt on the ground, not caring that the cool air is starting to nip at me. I shimmy out of my pants, and Arthur is trying so hard not to watch me. Dutch can sense he’s distracted, and annoyance laces his tone.

“Damnit, Arthur. I am tryin’ to talk to you!”

Arthur apologizes and clears his throat, eyes back on Dutch, for now. I slowly turn around, moving my hair to one side and pushing my butt out a bit. I hear him inhale sharply, “ _Sweet Jesus.”_

I giggle, turning back around to see Arthur with his mouth agape, staring at me over Dutch’s shoulder. He’s not even listening to him anymore.

“ARTHUR!” Dutch yells angrily. I jump, not expecting him to get so mad. I quickly re-dress and walk off, seeing Arthur’s face reddening as he watches me leave.

 

_That was fun. I love the way he looks at me._ I think to myself dreamily. I’m over by the fire, pouring myself a cup of coffee when Arthur comes jogging over.

“Goddamn, Piper. That was a dangerous game to play.” He smiles slyly, looking down at me through his dark lashes. “Were you tryin’ to get me all hot and bothered?” He asks.

I shrug, “maybe.” I smile before taking another sip of my coffee. “Did it work?”

Arthur stares down at his pants, taking my hand and pushing it against his groin. His hardness makes me ache. “ _Yes.”_ His voice becomes slightly breathy. “It worked.” Warmth pools within me, and I set down my coffee tin as we head for Arthur’s tent. I start kissing him before he’s gotten the tent flaps fully closed. Once he has them secured, his hands find my hips, pulling me roughly against him. I groan against his mouth as his hands travel lower, grabbing my ass. I can feel his cock continuing to swell. He moves us over to his bed, taking my shirt off and kneading my breasts through my bra while he continues to kiss me. His frantic kisses move down to my neck. His skin is hot from his arousal. I gently tug at the bottom of his shirt, urging him to take it off. I’ve never seen him shirtless, but judging by his broad frame and muscular arms, I think I’m gonna really like what I see. His hands reach behind his head, grabbing his shirt from the back and pulling it over himself. _Oh. My. Fucking. God._ I’m left speechless. He looks like a fucking Greek god. His tan skin is very well muscled, and dusted with fine hairs. I reach out and touch his chest, feeling the soft hair there against my fingers. I’m mesmerized by him. “God, Arthur…” I can’t even finish my sentence before his lips are back on mine again. His hands move back down to my ass, pressing me tightly against him.

He continues to back me up towards the bed until I sit down. He breaks the kiss long enough to instruct me to lay down and spread my legs. He’s so sure of what he wants, it makes me burn for him. I oblige and he works on the buttons of my trousers. Once he’s gotten them undone, he strips my legs free, and pulls down my underwear as well. I moan in anticipation. He gets on his knees, pulling me down so that his lips are right at my core. His breath against me sends waves of pleasure throughout my body. I whimper, looking up at him as he presses his finger against my clit, rubbing agonizingly slow. I grind my hips into the bed in frustration. He grins, _now he’s the one teasing me._ He pulls his hand away, spreading my legs a little bit further. He takes his tongue ever so slowly, and starts trailing it across me, purposefully avoiding my bud. I groan in annoyance, threading my fingers in his hair to try to urge him where I want him to go. He rests his hands on my thighs, pushing down slightly. His lidded eyes flick to mine, his hands still holding me down. His tongue gently brushes my clit, but just that small touch sends electricity through my veins. I buck up against him, and he holds me down tighter. Finally feeling satisfied that he’s teased me enough, he lets his tongue explore me. He swirls it around my clit, gently sucking on it every few moments. I curse, trying to grind against his face, but his hands have anchored me down. His tongue trails lower as he laps up my wetness. He parts my folds with his tongue, savoring my taste. He moans against me, sending a hum through my body. I shiver. He nestles his head further against me, his beard tickling my inner thighs. He finally thrusts his tongue inside me, pulling me down just a bit farther so that he’s deep within me. I let out a loud whine, and his nails start biting into the flesh of my legs slightly. His tongue darts in and out of me, his nose bumping my clit. I arch my back against the mattress, moaning his name. He groans when he hears his name on my lips. Then his hands release my thighs, instead grabbing my hips and urging me to back up just a bit. I comply, confused. Then he swiftly grabs my legs and rests them over his broad shoulders before getting back to work on me. His tongue goes even deeper this time, and I _scream._ My core starts to tighten, and he can feel it. He focuses his tongue back on my clit, coaxing my orgasm. He sucks and nibbles gently on my bud as I buck my hips against him. I can feel heat building up within me, ready to explode. My vision finally flashing blinding white as I come undone. His face is watching mine as I continue to shudder above him. My muscles finally relax and I sink into the bed, feeling limp. He stands up, and nudges me gently as he lays down beside me. He presses himself into me from behind as he starts to grind against my ass. He’s ridiculously hard now. My underwear is still off, and he’s about to unbutton his pants when we hear gunshots.       

     


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting for a few days, I had a busy weekend! Hope y'all like this chapter! <3

Arthur protectively pulls me against him, covering me as he searches around for his gun. I pull my underwear and trousers back up, fumbling with the buttons nervously. Arthur finally finds his revolver and then he hands me a pistol. We get up together, him still instinctively shielding me. He unties his tent flaps, peeking outside slowly.

“What’s going on?” I ask quietly.

Arthur’s still watching the intruders, “Murfree Broods.” He whispers back.

Two more shots are fired into the air; the intruders are demanding money. Arthur looks back at me, “You ready?”

I nod, and we leave the cover of his tent. Before we take any more steps though, multiple rounds go off, the intruding Murfree Broods dropping to the ground. I see Micah, smoking pistols in hand, continuously shooting their dead bodies. _What the fuck?_ “Micah!” I yell, “They’re dead! Stop!” He scowls at me and holsters his weapons. Dutch comes up behind him, patting him on the back. “Good job, son.” Arthur and I exchange a look.

“You don’t think that was a bit of overkill, Dutch?” Arthur asks.

“Micah was protectin’ us Arthur. Can’t you see that?”

“He didn’t need to keep pumping ‘em full of lead after they died though.” I pipe up.

Dutch and Micah shoot me irritated looks. I take the hint. _End of discussion._

Arthur and I go back to his tent, sitting on his cot. He sits with his legs spread, hands clasped together over his lap. I watch him, studying his face. “Dutch ain’t the same no more.” Arthur says in a low voice. He looks…sad, and disappointed. I reach out and gently touch his arm, giving him a consoling smile.

Suddenly, Dutch barges into the tent, a deep scowl on his face. He looks at me. “Miss Abner, you better get your ass back down to Lemoyne to look for that gold.” I gape at him, _that was forward. So much for hoping he’d forget._ Arthur stands up, “Dutch, what the hell?”

Dutch’s eyes pass between me and Arthur, and his scowl deepens. Dutch narrows his gaze. “You know Arthur? You seem to have grown very close to Miss Abner lately,” his gaze flicks back to me, “I’m thinkin’ she’s become somewhat of a distraction to you.” Arthur’s face scrunches in anger. Dutch continues talking, “Think you’ve overstayed your welcome, miss. ‘Til you find that gold you can’t stay here.”

Arthur tenses, about to defend me, when Dutch cuts him off. “Don’t you dare say otherwise, Arthur. I ain’t in the mood. And don’t you follow her neither, there will be consequences for both of you if you go after her.”

I feel small, feeling like my world has been pulled out from under me. I have nowhere to go, nobody who would take me in. I watch as Dutch leaves the tent, tensing when he mutters under his breath. “Fuckin’ whore tryna take Arthur away from this gang.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, tone laced with venom. Dutch turns around. “I said you’re a fuckin’ whore!” He gets up in my face.

“Fuck you.” I say in a low voice, glaring at him. That’s when he slaps me hard across the face, his rings catching on my skin, making my cheek bleed. I look up at him, stunned. I’m holding my reddened cheek, and Arthur can’t stay quiet anymore. He clenches his fists at his sides. “What the _fuck_ was that for, Dutch?!”

Dutch looks back to me, “Let’s hope those Raiders don’t find you again. Now get out.” I think Arthur is about to punch him, but I hold his arm down as Dutch leaves the tent. I’m still holding my bleeding cheek in shock. Arthur turns towards me, gently taking my hand away from my face and holding it in his. He finds some tonic and cloth in his satchel and fixes me up. He gives me such a sad look that I have to try not to cry.

“You can’t go back there alone, Piper.”

“I don’t see I have a choice.” I look down at my feet.

“I’ll talk to Dutch. Talk some sense into him.” Arthur tells me. I look up at him. “Arthur, Dutch has lost it. Whoever he was before is gone now. He’s spiraling out of control. You can’t talk sense into a person like that. Trust me.” I wince, thinking of my father.

Arthur pulls me into a hug, kissing the top of my head. I wrap my arms around his middle, savoring his warmth. Dutch yells from somewhere in camp, “PIPER! OUT, NOW!”

I break the embrace, giving Arthur a sad smile. I pack my things and start to leave the tent. Arthur follows me solemnly and helps me pack my things on my horse and mount up. “I’ll come find you, I promise.” He whispers to me. He pauses, looking into my eyes for a moment, “I love you.”

My heart flutters as he pulls me down for a kiss. “I love you, too” I mumble against his mouth. Then I pull away, so sad to leave him. I nudge my horse and I’m on my way. I don’t look back, knowing I’ll burst into tears seeing Arthur just standing there.

 

 

 

I set up camp in a small clearing by the swamps, letting my horse graze as the sun sets. I have a fire going and a tent set up. I sit down by the fire, watching the flames as I tuck my knees up under my chin, wrapping my arms around myself. I smile, thinking of Arthur telling me he loves me. My smile fades into a soft cry. I bury my face in my knees, trying not to think anymore. I get up, crawling into my tent, and thankfully find sleep.

 

The next morning, I wake up, feeling cold without Arthur next to me. I figure I’ll keep camping at this spot, so I keep the tent up but don’t add logs to the burnt out fire. I hop on my horse, not certain where I should start to find this gold.

 

The first three days are a bust. I catch myself some fish from the swamps and cook the filets over the fire, which keeps the gnawing pains away from my stomach. I follow my treasure maps, earning myself some extra cash when I sell the loot to the Fence.

 

After five days, I’m feeling hopeless. I lay down, looking up at the stars, when a thought pops into my head. _The soothsayer! Didn’t she allude to my father’s gold?_ A flicker of hope blooms within me. This might be my only lead. I mount my horse, not caring that it’s nighttime, and ride for Bluewater Marsh.

 

When I get to her house, her porch light is on. I run up the steps, knocking loudly on her door. She opens it almost instantly, that same toothy grin on her withered face. “Ah, hello again dear. Please, come in.”

I enter the small house and sit down, gratefully taking some tea that she offers me. The old woman sits across from me, hands in her lap. I fill her in on everything I’ve been through and ask again about my father’s gold. She smiles, furrowing the wrinkles around her eyes. She leans towards me, face becoming serious. “I think you know where it is.”

I look at her, confusion clear in my features. “No, I don’t. That’s why I’m here.”

She juts out her jaw, seemingly annoyed. “Ask your father.” She tells me.

“I can’t, he’s dead.” Now I’m starting to get annoyed. She shakes her head at me. “Go see your father and ask him.”

“This makes no sense.” I tell her, as she ushers me to stand up.

“This is all I can tell you. Now go see him.” She pushes me out of the house and closes the door.

_Well that was helpful._ I think to myself bitterly. _How the hell am I supposed to go see my dead father?_ I stop in my tracks, finally realizing what she meant. _His grave?_ I mount my horse, riding across the water to the remains of my cabin. I jump down, that same bittersweet feeling clouding my mind again. I grab a lantern from my saddle before I walk to the back of my property, looking for the big oak tree I buried my father under. I wrap my arms around myself, feeling unsure. I see his headstone and kneel before it. Holding up the lantern, I inspect the engravings carved into the stone. I stare at his name and feel nothing. I haven’t come here since I buried him. He asked me to bury him here, because he said this was his favorite tree. Said my mother used to like it. That was about as much as he ever told me about her.

_“Ask your father….”_ The soothsayer’s words echo in my mind. _I still don’t know what that means!_ I huff in frustration, and I have half a mind to march back over to that old woman’s house and knock loudly on the door.

I trace my fingers over the divots of my father’s name. _Kirk S. Abner._ _Ask…ask. Abner S. Kirk…A.S.K._ My father’s initials read backwards spell ask! _Ok, now I feel like I’m getting somewhere._ I set the lantern beside the headstone, still giving myself enough light to see. _Where do I go from here?_ A thought hits me that makes nausea boil in my stomach. _Am I gonna have to dig him up?_ I almost vomit, coughing and wincing, trying to get the thought out of my mind. I look up at the big oak tree, studying the Spanish moss hanging from its long branches. I examine the rough bark, reaching out and touching it with my palm. I roam my eyes over the trunk, trying to find a clue. I squint into the night, thinking maybe I’ve found something. I lift the lantern up to the tree to find initials carved into the bark. KA + MA. _Kirk Abner + Molly Abner._ This was the house my father built for my mother after they married. _He must have really loved her._ A sorrow fills my chest. _Why didn’t he love me?_

The small amount of information that I know about my mother I learned during my father’s drunk babblings. Even then he wouldn’t talk about her much. A pang of sadness hits my heart. _I never got to meet her._

I wonder what my father was like when she was alive. I frown in thought. He never even told me where he buried her. I presume it’s somewhere on this property, but I can’t be sure.

Deep in thought, fatigue sneaks up on me, and before too long I mount my horse and ride back to camp. I plan to come back tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll find more clues.    

 

 

 

     


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning I finish up the rest of the fish I had caught, and pour myself a cup of coffee. I stretch my arms above my head, watching the sunlight filter through the trees peacefully. Thinking about getting to see Arthur again motivates me to move quickly on finding this gold. I mount up, retracing my steps back to my father’s grave and the big oak tree. I look over the initials carved into the bark, and then kneel in front of my father’s headstone once more. I brush my fingers over his name, trying to locate any clues. _How did the soothsayer know_ _where the first clue was?_ I wonder. I glance over in the direction of her cabin feeling puzzled. Then I return my attention to the task at hand. I roam my hands over the headstone, trying to find something, anything. I brush my fingers over my father’s name once more, stopping on the S. when the tiniest sliver of stone chips off under my touch. _Interesting. Could there be something under here?_ I continue to brush my fingers over the same spot, causing more debris to come off. I’m starting to see the faintest sign of black lettering underneath the stone. I’m not making much headway using my fingers though, so I pick up a nearby stick and use that instead. I start to scrape away the crumbling stone, revealing the message underneath. “Field.” _Field?_ I crane my neck, looking at the dead crops, a field of brown straw, dried under the intense sun. I look back to the grave, running my hands over the stone once more. Now that I see that there are layers to this headstone, the top layer feels sort of like a stone façade of some sort. I think back on when I buried my father. He insisted on picking out the headstone before he died, even going into Saint Denis to have it customized. I shiver, it seemed so normal to him. Why would you ever want to customize your own grave? I stand up, brushing the dust off my trousers before I head for the remains of our crop field.

 

 

I never much liked working with the crops, my father was the one who spent most of his time out here. Sometimes he would be out here for hours, seemingly never growing tired until he would come back to the house, a permanent scowl on his face upon seeing me. I stroll through the fields, kicking rocks and observing my surroundings. I continue walking until I pass a spot in the earth that feels strange as I walk over it. I’m near the back of the fields now, somewhat off to the corner, on the dusty banks that surround the fields themselves. I kneel down to inspect the ground but find nothing except dirt. I’m about to stand up when something glints in the corner of my eye. It looks like…granite? I sweep my hand across the ground, uncovering another headstone. _My mother’s…._ my breath catches in my throat. _So that’s why he was always out here._ The granite is beautifully polished, even having been covered by dirt it looks pristine. I trace my fingers over her name, feeling sadness inside of me. _What were you like?_ I wonder to myself. I continue uncovering the flat headstone, why my father kept it buried I’ll never know. _Maybe to hide it from me._ I frown at that thought, feeling bitter. My hands still when I reach the bottom of the granite. _This is a large slab of granite, how could he afford this?_ At the bottom, there’s a quote. It reads, “For my dearest Molly, you were a light in my life, my greatest love, and my most precious treasure.” Again I am reminded of how strong their love must have been. Her death caused him nothing but bitterness and hatred for the world that took away the only person he cared about…. _and it was my fault._ My eyes start to water, but I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to stop the tears from spilling out. _I wish Arthur were here._ I miss him. I miss his tender kisses and his loving embraces. I lay my hands in my lap, still kneeling on the ground. _Where was this clue supposed to be?_ The message had said “Field”. My eyes continue to roam over my mother’s grave. I notice a medium sized rock a few feet away from the granite slab, and find that it’s curiously placed. I lift it up, finding a crinkled and dusty parcel underneath. I gingerly rip the paper, eager to see the letter inside. It’s addressed to me….I suck in a breath. _It’s from my father._ How long had this been here? Why did he leave all this for me only after he died? If I hadn’t talked to the soothsayer, I never would have found any of this. I wonder if she was in on this….I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. I can’t imagine my father having any friends, but then again, the old woman’s house is the only one close to us for a couple of miles. I guess it’s possible that she approached him first, or maybe my mother liked her so my father felt loyal to the old woman. Whatever the case may be, I can’t deny that it’s strange. I focus back on the letter in my hands, and I start to read. “Piper, I’m not sure how long I’ve been gone before you found this letter and your mother’s grave. I wanted to apologize.” I scoff, glancing back in the direction of my father’s headstone. _It’s a little late for that._ I narrow my eyes but continue reading. “I know I wasn’t the best father. You deserved more than I could ever give you. You always asked about your mother, and I never told you because it caused me so much pain just to think about her. The truth is, she was _spectacular_. She was the most loving woman I’d ever met. She was beautiful, too. She was smart, and funny, and capable. She was the love of my life.” That same sadness starts to well within my chest again, making me miss Arthur even more. I continue reading, “I lost her too soon. She was so excited to meet you, already said how much she loved you.” Tears start flowing down my cheeks, and I don’t bother to wipe them away.

“She had such a kind heart, and such a warm smile. She was my greatest treasure. I’ve left something for you. Something I discovered during the war.  Your mother’s dying wish was that I someday leave this to you, and I will oblige.” I rock back on my heels, eventually sitting down in the dirt, mesmerized by the letter in my hands. The intense heat beats down upon me, and my tears and sweat seem to mix together under the sun’s gaze. I sniffle, continuing to read, “The reason I could never cope, could never talk about your mother, the reason I turned to alcohol, was because every time I looked at you, I saw her.” I stifle a sob, covering my mouth with my hand. “You two were just alike. You look just like her, and I couldn’t deal with it. For that I am truly sorry, though I don’t expect forgiveness. Wherever I am now, I hope I will see your mother again. I’ve missed her so very much, and now I can be with her for the rest of time.” Tears are blurring my vision so I wipe them away. “I may never have been good at showing it Piper, but I loved you. I loved you because she loved you. I hope someday you will find a love like ours, and I hope you will never let it go.” I put the letter down, crying into my hands. _I have found a love like yours._ I think fondly.

I turn the letter over, and see a small map that was hand-drawn, showing me the location of the gold. My insides feel so twisted, my emotions feel so torn. I had never seen this side of my father. After reading this letter, I feel as if I had never known him. You’d think this had been written by a complete stranger.

I stuff the letter into my pocket, and press my lips to my fingertips, before placing them upon my mother’s grave. “I love you” I whisper.

 

 

I mount my horse and follow the map until I’m deep within the swamps, far from the roads. In the hollow of the tree is a lockbox. It’s very easy to miss, being obscured by moss and sticks. I use the butt of my gun to break the lock, gasping when I see what’s inside. This is the most gold I think I’ve ever seen. The lockbox is so deep, that it seems as if the gold goes on forever. I try lifting the box, it’s so heavy. My arms start to shake and so I put it back down. I call my horse over, stuffing some gold into my satchel, and the rest into the two large saddlebags on the back of my saddle. I close the lockbox back up and return it to the hollow in the tree. _It’s probably been there a long time._ I think to myself.

 

I mount up, stopping to think. _This gold was my mother’s gift to me. How could I give this to Dutch?_ I feel so torn. I know this is my ticket to staying with Arthur, but at the same time, it’s the only tangible thing my mother had that wasn’t sold by my father. I think over it as I ride back to my small camp. When I arrive, I see another horse outside the tent, grazing. I jump down, hand hovering above my gun holster. “Who’s there?” I ask, trying to sound menacing. I hear chuckling from inside the tent, and then the man emerges with a big grin on his face. _Arthur._

“Hey you” He tips his hat, smiling at me. I exhale a breath before running to him and wrapping my arms around him, burying my face into his chest. He hugs me back earnestly, rubbing a hand up and down my back. He whispers in my ear, “I promised you I’d come back for you.” And kisses my head lovingly. He pulls me tighter before we go into my tent, laying on my bedroll. He never takes his hands off of me, which feels wonderful. He has me snuggled up right next to him, kissing me every chance he can get. “I missed you.” He tells me, intertwining his fingers with mine. “I missed you too.” I tell him quietly. Then I look up at him, admiring his handsome face. “Arthur?”

“Hm?”

“I really love you.”

“I really love you too.”   

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted lately, I've had some personal things going on in my life :( Please drop a few comments, they make me so happy and always cheer me up! <3

As Arthur and I walk back into Beaver Hollow, Dutch narrows his eyes at me, spitting on the ground. I stride up to him and shove a heavy canvas sack into his chest, scowling. He opens it to find the luminous gold, face delighted. I turn on my heel and walk away to unpack my things. I hated giving my mother’s gift to me away, but I knew it was the only way I could stay with Arthur. Plus, Dutch doesn’t know that I’ve kept four gold bars, two for me and two for Arthur. After setting up my tent and unpacking everything, I sit by the campfire, savoring its warmth. Sadie comes to sit down next to me. “Good to see your face again.” She smiles. She gives me a light hug, which I return. Her face becomes serious. “Back in Saint Denis, during that bank job, John was arrested. Word is he’s been moved up to Sisika Penitentary, and there’s talk of hangin’ him. Abigail has asked you, me, and Arthur to help break him out.” I let out a low whistle.

“That ain’t gonna be easy.”

Sadie nods in agreement. “But if anyone can do it, we can. Especially with Arthur supporting us.”

I look over at Arthur lovingly, watching him talking and laughing with some friends. _God I love that man._

“Ok, I’m in. Where do we start?” I ask.

“I’ve got somethin’ lined up with a hot air balloon. Think we can get Arthur up in it so he can scope out the prison and find John.”

I nod, “Ok.”

 

 

We arrive at the meeting spot, finding a strange looking man wearing a leather helmet of sorts and goggles. Arthur looks a bit nervous so I give his hand a reassuring squeeze. He kisses my lips once, “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck.” I say, smiling.

 

Then the balloon starts lifting off the ground. I’m amazed, I’ve never seen something like this before. Arthur looks nervous, but he waves to me so I wave back. Once the balloon is out of sight, Sadie and I mount our horses and ride over to where Arthur will be landing soon. We wait, chatting and catching up. It’s probably been about 20 minutes or so when the balloon makes a reappearance above our heads. Then gunshots ring out— _O’Driscolls._ A whole group of them gaining on us as we spur our horses forward. Sadie and I shoot at them from horseback while Arthur shoots at them from above. I hear a bullet colliding with a body above my head. Panicking that it might be Arthur, I stop my horse, looking above me frantically. That’s when I see the pilot fall out of the basket and hit the ground, dead. As awful as it sounds, I’m just unbelievably relieved that Arthur is ok. We continue riding and shooting until Arthur drops a rope down to us, the balloon teetering as he tries to keep it steady. _We have to jump?!_

Sadie goes first, showing no signs of fear. She leaps and then climbs up the rope with ease. The O’Driscolls are gaining on us now, getting too close. “Piper!” Arthur calls down to me, eyes showing fear. I look over my shoulder, spurring my horse forward roughly as I give him a small smile and peel away off the road into the woods.

“Piper!!!” I hear Arthur shouting. I know this might not end well, but I needed to get some of the heat off of Arthur and Sadie. I ride fast, starting to lose my pursuers in the trees. Whenever I see one of the gang members, I shoot him and continue forward. Pretty soon, I’ve lost the rest of them and gallop back out into the road, halting when I see the balloon has crashed beside a river. Arthur and Sadie look unharmed, though, and are dusting themselves off when I trot up to them. Arthur looks mad. I dismount and he marches up to me. “Will you stop doin’ that?! You scared me!” I snicker under my breath, remembering when he yelled at me in the Rhodes saloon. I cross my arms in front of my chest, giving him a knowing look. He sighs, “Thank you for taking the heat off of us. Just—don’t keep runnin’ off like that. I was scared I was gonna lose you to those damn O’Driscolls.” He pulls me into a tight hug against his broad chest, resting his cheek on my head. Sadie snickers, “Jesus, Arthur you’re so sensitive.” She flashes him a wide grin and he rolls his eyes jokingly, pulling me closer against him.

 

On our ride back to camp, Arthur tells us what he saw in the penitentiary. “I’m pretty sure I saw John working. He was surrounded by guards, but I think we can get to him.” Sadie and I nod. _Now it’s time for an escape plan._

 

The next few days we plan our attack on the penitentiary. We plan in Arthur’s tent so Dutch can’t hear us. He didn’t even want us to rescue John in the first place so now we have to do it behind his back. As night falls, Sadie leaves the tent for a moment to grab a bowl of stew, leaving me and Arthur alone. I sit back against his chest, both of us sitting on his bed. He spreads his legs a bit so that I can lean against his body more. I feel his rigid muscles against my back as he breathes. He wraps his arms around me from behind, kissing the top of my head. Then in a sudden change of mood, he starts kissing my neck, his hands untangling from my body as he brings them back down to my torso. My breath hitches as he moves his palms up my shirt, letting them linger over my breasts. I can feel him smiling against my neck as I gasp. He gently massages them, pulling me closer against him. I snicker to keep from moaning. “What has gotten into you?”

He chuckles, “I ain’t doin’ anything.” He says this as he continues to touch me, caressing my body and kneading my breasts.

“Huh, well if you ain’t doin’ anything I guess two can play at this game.” I smirk as I sit up, nudging his legs together again before I sit back down against him on his lap. He sighs longingly, but his hands go back to my chest, getting just a little bit rougher. He kisses my neck again as he touches me. I gasp, and then feel him start to harden underneath me. I brace my hands beside me as I start to grind into his lap, making him groan quietly. I smirk as I feel him harden more.

His fingers start trailing ever so gently back down my shirt, approaching my trousers. His fingers sneak underneath the fabric, resting against my stomach when Sadie returns to the tent, laughing. “Did I interrupt somethin’?”

My face reddens but I laugh it off, still aware of Arthur’s fingers near my underwear.

“Uhhhh” Arthur falters, but then slowly takes his hands out of my pants.

I climb off of Arthur, who quickly crosses his legs so it’s not as obvious that he’s aroused.

Sadie laughs again, “I can leave if y’all wanna…you know.” She lifts her brows suggestively.

Arthur rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

I snicker, “No, it’s ok. Let’s get back to work on this prison escape.”    


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super cute, fluffy chapter cuz it's about to get kinda serious and then smutty ;) hope y'all enjoy!

He uses his jacket sleeve to wipe the tears off his stubbled cheeks. He takes a breath before taking another swig of whiskey. “This is all I’ve ever known.” He whispers to me, tears still trickling down his face silently. He lifts the bottle to his lips once more, staring into the dancing flames of the fire. “I—” he pauses, exhaling. “I’m a bad man…a bad person.” His eyes meet mine, and my heart breaks seeing his expression. His handsome face is etched in lines, his expression scrunched in self-loathing. I reach out slowly, gently touching his arm.

“No, Arthur…you’re not.”

“I’ve killed people, Piper.”

“So have I.” I remind him gently.

“I…I had a son.”

He pauses, looking at me before continuing. “His name was Isaac. Had him with a woman named Eliza. Didn’t really know her for very long, but I was lonely.” He bites his lip, tears spilling over his lower lashes. “I could have been a better father. I didn’t see them as much as I could have.” He wipes away his tears. “I’d visit ‘em for a few days at a time when I could…but I knew it wasn’t enough.” His gaze fixes back on the flames. “One day I came up to their house and saw two crosses.” He buries his face in his hands. “Found out they were robbed and killed all for 10 dollars.” His shoulders start to shake as he cries, still covering his face. I turn my knees towards him, now facing him as we sit on the log by the fire. I pull him into a tender embrace, letting him cry into my shoulder. He holds the back of my head with his hand, stroking my hair softly.

“I was never there enough. Maybe I could have…” he stifles a sob. “Saved them.”

“You can’t put that pressure on yourself, Arthur.” I whisper in his ear.

“I was a bad father, a bad man.”

I pull away from him, keeping him at arm’s length. “Oh Arthur, you’re not a bad man.”

“But—”

I cut him off, taking his hand in mine. “You know how I know you’re not a bad man?”

He cocks his head slightly and sniffles, “How?”

“Because you _care._ You care so deeply for people and you love with your whole heart. You show kindness and compassion to others. You are so incredibly loyal.” I pause, watching his face. “When you do something wrong, you show _remorse._ You have a conscience.  You have empathy for others and you see how your actions affect people. Your insight and empathy shows you’re _human._ You’re not a monster.”

He sniffles again, “I wasn’t always that way.”

I nod, “But the important thing is, you are now. The fact that you didn’t like the person you were, and you decided to change is the difference. The difference between you and men like Micah, or Colm O’Driscoll, or any number of bad folk. You always had a good man within you, Arthur, but you finally let him breathe. You allowed yourself to be true to who you are. If you never had a good man within you from the start, you wouldn’t have been able to change. The fact you were able to better yourself is what makes you a good man.” I move my hand to his shoulder. “And I’ve seen the way you act towards Jack…I know you were a wonderful father.” I give him a small smile. He breaks out into a loud sob, hugging me against him tightly. He buries his face in the crook of my neck as I run my hands up and down his back trying to soothe him. I press a kiss to his temple. “You’re so hard on yourself, Arthur. Take some of the love you give to others and be kind to yourself. Everyone has a darkness inside of them, everyone has past regrets. What matters is how you move forward with that knowledge in the future. And you’ve proven to yourself that you’re capable of doing that. You were _always_ capable, and always will be. You are a good man.”

He continues crying, clutching tighter to me. I cradle his head, stroking his hair. He pulls away, kissing me tenderly. He kisses me again and again, wrapping me in a tight embrace as he continues to press his lips against mine.

“You’re the one who made me want to change,” he whispers to me before kissing me again.

My heart flutters.

He presses his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. “I love you.” He takes a breath. “I love you so much.”

I smile warmly, kissing him again. “I love you too, Arthur.”

His breathing calms and the tears have started to dry. He nuzzles against me, still holding me tightly. “Come on,” I say. “Let’s get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow breaking John out of Sisika.” Arthur nods and stands, offering me his hand. I smile as he helps me up, pulling me close to him again and kissing me over and over. He’s showering me with affection and I adore it, I adore him. I giggle, “Arthur!”

He smiles against my mouth but kisses me again, letting his hands roam down my back. I pull away, laughing. “You’re so handsy all of a sudden.” I say with a playful wink. He smiles cheekily. “I just can’t seem to help myself when I’m around you.”

My smile softens as I pull him into a tender but passionate kiss. “You and me both.” I laugh.

“Now c’mon, we really gotta get to bed” I take his hand and lead him back to his tent where we fall asleep, still tangled up with one another.


	21. Chapter 21

Sadie and I crouch on the ground just outside the prison as Arthur silently makes his way up the guard tower. In a swift and quiet motion, Arthur kills the guard with a knife before gently laying him back down. He picks up the guard’s rifle and looks through the scope towards the barn. He looks back at us, nodding his head once signaling that he’s found John. Sadie and I unsling the rifles from our backs, creeping our way forward. Arthur fires his rifle, killing two guards that are with John. That’s when all hell breaks loose. Bullets fly from every direction, ricocheting off the metal posts of the guard towers as we surge forward. Soon, Arthur is by our side again, helping us shoot our way to the front gate. Guards spill out of every crevice like ants after their nest has been squished. We constantly duck in and out of cover, barely even having time to take a breath. I cock my rifle, setting the butt against my shoulder as I fire a shot straight into the head of a guard. He crumples to the ground as I reload and fire again. Arthur and Sadie push forward, and I follow closely on their heels.

 

We continue shooting our way up to the front gate where we take cover again behind a small wall. Sadie moves out of cover to shoot but is met with a pistol pointed right between her eyes. I hold my breath as the guard tells us that it’s over. Sadie swallows slowly, holstering her gun before Arthur sneaks up behind the guard and strikes him with the butt of the rifle. Arthur grabs his pistol, yanks his arms behind his back, and marches us forward, gun aimed at the guard’s head. We finally arrive at the entrance to the prison, and the other guards look between each other nervously when Arthur demands to make a trade. His voice booms out, “We’re gonna need John Marston,” he pushes the pistol against the guard’s head harder, “or your friend here’s gonna have his head blown off.”

 

“Don’t do it!” The guard whimpers. Sadie pokes his side roughly with the barrel of her rifle, “Shut up.”

I watch Arthur cock his gun, “Quickly now, or this fool’s gonna stop whimpering once and for all.”

The gates open, and I see John being escorted by a couple of guards. I stifle a gasp at John’s disheveled appearance. His beard has grown out a bit, and he’s extremely dirty.

Sadie sneers up at the patrolmen, “glad we could come to an agreement.” She grabs John’s arm, slipping him her pistol as we start to back up. The guards are still aiming at us, but Arthur gives us a sideways glance. “When I count to three, you need to make a run for the boat. I’ll catch up with you.”

“Arthur, no!” I whisper back, “You’ll be killed!”

He gives me a small smile, “Now you’re gettin’ all protective over me, huh?”

I scowl, “Now is not the time for sarcasm!”

Arthur counts to three lowly, before pushing the guard in front of us, hard. The man falls into the dirt as shots start firing once more. Arthur takes cover, shooting back when he can while the rest of us make a break for the canoe.

I look back often, feeling frantic when I don’t see Arthur.

“Sadie, what about Arthur?”

“He’ll be ok, Piper. Arthur knows what he’s doin’.” John tells me as we keep running.

We rush through fields of tall grass before finally reaching the boat and climb inside.

I watch with strained eyes, waiting for Arthur. A minute passes, then another. Anxiety has my stomach completely twisted in knots.

The gunshots have stopped. I feel hot tears streaming down my face, and feel my throat going raw as I realize I’m shouting his name.

“ARTHUR!” I scream ‘til my voice is cracking.

 

Before anyone can protest, I jump out of the boat, scrambling back up the hill. I sprint back through the tall grass, the rifle banging against my back on its strap. I rush into a clearing, taking my weapon off my back. I see a mob of guards surrounding Arthur, and the most intense rage bubbles inside of me. I can feel my skin heating up, feel my jaw clenching. One of the men hits Arthur with the butt of his gun, knocking him out.

“HEY!” I yell, losing my senses to anger.

The guards look up at me, rifles cocked.

I fire rapidly into the crowd, ducking when they start to shoot back. I duck and roll behind a large rock, which chips away as it’s hit with bullets. I haven’t felt a rage this intense since I was captured by the Lemoyne Raiders. I’m not letting anything happen to Arthur.

Before I know it, Sadie and John are by my side again, helping me shoot.

Then, _silence._

I try to calm my breathing as the dust settles. All the guards are dead, and Arthur lays motionless on the ground. I throw my rifle off and sprint towards him. I trip, stumbling over myself as I crawl towards his body.

My hands quickly roam over him, checking for injuries. Then I place two fingers on his neck. _No pulse._

A frantic cry rips from my throat before I start administering CPR. John and Sadie run up to me, holding their breath. I pump down on his chest again and again, tilting his head back to breathe life into him. _C’mon Arthur. Please. Don’t leave me._

I continue trying to resuscitate him, but he’s not moving. Sadie softly puts a hand on my shoulder. I sob, shoulders shaking as I throw my body over his protectively. “No! NO!!” I scream into his chest, sobbing.

“I’m so sorry, Piper.” John says. I can’t hear him over my sobs. I’m clutching to Arthur like a child, burying my face into the cloth of his shirt.

“Piper, there are more guards coming. We have to go.” Sadie tries to gently pull on my arm but I wriggle free of her grasp, gripping tighter to Arthur’s body.

More gunshots echo as the guards get closer and closer. That same intense anger threatens to take over me as I’m about to stand and kill _every single one of them._ Then I hear a quiet cough, and look down in amazement. Arthur’s eyes flutter open.     


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So not gonna lie, this chapter was partially inspired by that AMAZING cave scene in the first Hunger Games book, lol. Hope y'all enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Slash, side-note: I googled it and apparently head trauma can lead to your heart stopping momentarily???? And Google is always right so let's just go with that :P

Joy and relief are an immense understatement to how I’m feeling right now. I throw my body over Arthur’s again, feeling his pulse gently throb in his chest. Sadie and John shoot at the guards as Arthur and I lie in the dirt. He weakly wraps his arms around me and continues coughing as I sob against him. “Arthur,” Sadie glances down at us before reloading her gun and shooting again, “you good to move?” He nods and pushes himself up into a sitting position, grunting with effort. He holds his head where he was struck by the butt of the gun, wincing. I help him up the rest of the way, and John helps me support him as we run back for the boat. Sadie covers us effortlessly. When we finally reach the boat, John helps ease Arthur into it as Sadie starts pushing off. John and I hop in, and just as the guards reach the shore where we were, we’re already almost out of sight.

 

Everyone sighs, John and Sadie offering me weak smiles. I think we’re all extremely shaken by what just happened, but we’re most shocked that Arthur is still _alive._ I curl up next to him in the boat, pressing my torso against his and laying my head against his chest. He wraps an arm around me, using his other hand to hold his head. He looks like he’s in a lot of pain. “Arthur, I’m takin’ you to the doctor after we get back.” I say.

He shakes his head, “I’m fine. Just hurts where they got me with the gun.” He winces as he shakes his head.

“Don’t be stubborn about this. They got you real good. I—” I choke on my words, starting to tear up again. “I didn’t think you were gonna make it.”

He looks down at me, kissing my head and pulling me closer against him.

 

 

When we get back to camp, Abigail and Jack rush up to John, both jumping on him. He laughs, hugging them back. Sadie then gives me a hug, telling me what a good job I did. It’s a happy reunion, until Dutch walks out of his tent. His face is angry; his fists are balled at his sides as he approaches. I instinctively step in front of Arthur, protectively putting my arm up to keep him safely behind me. Dutch’s voice cracks as he talks, “John? I hadn’t sent for you, brother.” John narrows his eyes, “They was talkin’ of hangin’ me Dutch.”

“I was comin’ for you, John.” Dutch shoots Arthur a glare, “But the time wasn’t right.”

“Everyone knows you weren’t comin’ for him you coward.” I spit at Dutch. Arthur gives my hand a squeeze, trying to settle me down a bit.

Abigail starts to step forward, but John puts an arm out to stop her. “ _If_ you were comin’ Dutch, I would’ve been dead long before you came.” John says quietly. With that, John, Jack, and Abigail head back to their tent.

Dutch turns towards us, focusing on Arthur. “You directly disobeyed me.” He scowls.

“He needed us, Dutch.” Arthur replies curtly.

“I told you to wait.” Dutch continues angrily.

“Yeah, and I felt differently.” Arthur meets his eyes, not backing down.

“What the hell has happened to you, son?”

“Guess I’m seein’ things a little more clearly now.” They face each other, tension building in both their muscles. Dutch spits on the ground, “good for you, then.” He turns on his heel and walks away.

I let out a breath, I was scared they were about to get into a fist fight. I turn towards Arthur, caressing his face while inspecting his head. “C’mon, we gotta get you to the doctor.”

 

 

 

“He’s got quite a concussion. The force he was hit with was what temporarily stopped his heart.” The doctor tells us, getting some morphine out of his bag and filling a shot with it. “A bit of rest and some pain medication will help it to heal.” He inserts the needle into Arthur’s forearm. “He’ll need to rest in a dark, quiet room for about a week or so for the fastest results.”

Arthur shakes his head slightly, “I can’t do that. I’ve got people to take care of.”

“Well you can’t take care of no one if you don’t take care of your head first, son.” The doctor tells him. I squeeze Arthur’s hand as I sit next to his chair in the doctor’s office.

“Thank you, Doctor.” I tell him, and he replies with a nod. I pay him and then we’re on our way again.

“I don’t know any place where I could really rest besides camp.” Arthur tells me. I think for a minute. An idea hits me, it’s not the best option, but it’ll stay dark and quiet.

“What about a cave?” I say.

He offers me a quizzical look, “what cave? I don’t know of any caves around here.”

“There’s a big one up in Roanoke Ridge, near camp.” I tell him.

 

 

Before we leave, I buy some provisions from the store in Annesburg that’ll last us a couple of weeks and then we head for Roanoke Ridge.

 

When we arrive, it’s cold and damp inside. I grab the provisions off my horse, who I let graze outside peacefully. I start a roaring fire, bringing warmth and a small bit of light to the cave. I set up a tent with a fluffy bedroll inside and get started on making a meal. Arthur staggers beside me, deeply affected by the morphine. “You din’ have to do this, Piper.” He slurs. I smile, kissing his temple. “Let’s get you to bed.” I lead him into the tent, taking off his boots and tucking him into the warm blankets. I brush the hair out of his face, and then start to get up, but he grabs my hand. “Stay.” He tells me. I pause, feeling my heart flutter. I nod, sliding under the covers next to him. He snuggles up to me, and quickly falls asleep, letting the morphine take over.      

 

 

 

Arthur improves dramatically over the next few days. He hates to be confined to the cave, but I remind him he needs to heal. His pain was pretty bad once the morphine wore off, but it’s becoming more manageable. At night I’ve been making us soup, even going out and fishing during the day so we can have fresh salmon. I keep the fire going all the time, bringing back an armful of wood each time I go out. When it’s time for bed, I rest with Arthur in his tent, holding him against my chest, stroking his soft hair. Pretty soon, the pain in his head has subsided and he’s back to his normal self.

 

 

I reel in my line in the light of the setting sun, feeling satisfied that I’ve caught three fish today. I look back towards the cave and right when I think we could start heading back to Beaver Hollow, the biggest thunderstorm I’ve ever seen crashes down upon me, thoroughly soaking my clothes until I’m a shivering mess. I collapse my rod and stuff it in my satchel as I carry the fish back to the cave hurriedly. When I get inside, I set down my things and run for the fire. Arthur is asleep so I try to be quiet but the chill is starting to set in, and I can feel myself starting to go numb. I rub my hands up and down my arms, trying to bring some heat back to my body when Arthur steps out of the tent. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” I tell him through chattering teeth. Without saying a word, he hurries over to me. “Piper, you’re freezing!”

“It started raining out of nowhere and I got drenched. Just gotta get warm by the fire.”

Arthur looks me over, noticing my fingers turning white. “We gotta get you out of those wet clothes.”

My teeth chatter harder. “That’ll make me even colder.” I shake my head.

“You’ll warm up faster if you’re dry.” He tells me as he starts peeling off my boots and socks. I can barely move I’m so cold, watching my breath cloud like smoke as I exhale through my mouth. Arthur finishes undressing me and takes off his tan coat, wrapping it around my shoulders. I’m huddled with my knees pulled to my chest, completely bare except for Arthur’s coat. I scooch closer to the fire, still shaking. Arthur comes and sits down beside me, wrapping me up in his arms, trying to warm me up.

“It’s not working, Arthur. I’m still so cold.” I tell him, chattering.

“Ok, I’ve…I’ve got an idea.” A mischievous glint in his eyes excites me.

“An idea?” I ask.

He nods, picking me up and carrying me to the tent. He lays me down softly onto the bedroll, still leaving his coat wrapped around me.

“It’ll definitely help warm you up…if you’re ok with it.” He looks so innocent and sweet. He’s adorable when he takes care of me.

“Ok with what?”

“Uhh, well. Sex.”

We lock eyes, and my lips curve into a smile.

“Wasn’t really plannin’ on our first time bein’ like this….but.” He chuckles.

“Is this your excuse to get into my pants?” I laugh.

He chuckles, rolling his eyes. “ _No…._ well…maybe?” We laugh together, and he brushes some hair out of my face.

“No, it’s not. I’ve wanted you for a long time, I just wanted to wait ‘til you were ready.” He smiles down at me. He’s lying beside me, propped up on his elbow.

“Plus,” he continues, chuckling, “it _will_ help warm you up.”

I laugh, putting my hand on the back of his neck and pulling him down into a kiss.  


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope this is good! I tried to make it intimate yet also hot as fuck, lol. Lemme know what you think! :)

He kisses me back desperately, hands tangled in my hair. He rolls us so that I’m on top of him. I let his coat slip off of my shoulders, completely exposing myself to him. Goosebumps form on my skin from the cool air. He pulls away from our kiss to roam his eyes over me, drinking in my naked form. His muscles twitch underneath me as he lets out a breath. “God, Piper. You are so incredibly gorgeous.” His eyes flick to my breasts, and he brings up a hand to knead them. He grazes my hardened nipple with his thumb, making me moan. He pulls me back down into a feverish kiss, letting his hands roam down the expanse of my body. He stills one hand on the small of my back while his other hand wanders down farther, nails lightly digging into the flesh of my ass. He lets out a groan against my mouth as he squeezes my butt roughly. His beard tickles my face, and I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, letting my tongue explore his.

His fingers continue traveling further down, lightly brushing my skin. He presses two fingers against my core, making me yelp. I hadn’t expected that but it felt _so_ good. His cock twitches at my response. I suddenly sit up, grabbing his shirt and easing it over his head. I run my hand along his broad chest, my fingers running through the fine hairs covering his skin. I lean back down, pressing my torso into his. Having our skin pressed together makes me groan, and his skin is hot from his arousal. I kiss him once more, now fumbling clumsily with his belt. He reaches underneath my body, unclasping his belt and pulling his pants and underwear down. I pull them down the rest of the way and lay back on top of him, now feeling his hard member pressed against my body. I grit my teeth, shivering. _I can’t wait for him to fill me up._ He lightly rubs the head of his dick against my wet slit, making me whine. He moves a finger down to my clit, starting to stimulate me there. I jerk, and I can feel his cock continue to swell. Finally, I just can’t take it anymore, and I move my hand to his, stilling it. He pulls back, confused. “Piper? You oka—” His face twists into an expression of ecstasy as I guide his hand to his dick, helping him slide inside of me. _Fuck. Fuck he feels good inside of me._ I shudder as I feel him start to enter me, igniting all my nerves in just the right ways. I lift my hips just a bit before I begin fully lowering myself onto him. I wince, it’s been a long time since I’ve been with a man and I’m really tight, making this a little difficult with how big he is. He moans slowly as he grabs my hips, guiding me. Every few moments I flinch, and he asks if I’m ok. I nod, telling him to just start out slow.

 

We go slowly until I’m fully seated upon him. I rock my hips back and forth slightly experimentally, making both of us moan. Then I start moving up and down as he watches me. His mouth is hanging open, and his eyes are glazed over. Still feeling somewhat cold, I ask him to take over, to which he happily obliges. He brings me forward, lifting up his hips as I lean my hands against his chest. He goes slowly at first, trying to get into the right position, but once he finds it, he quickly fills me to the hilt. I tip forward, gasping and digging my nails into his chest. “ _Fuck, Arthur.”_ I say in a breathy tone. He brings his hips down and then up again quickly, getting into a steady pace.

His cheeks are turning rosy as he fucks me. I move my hips back to meet his with each thrust. He’s grunting, nails digging into my ass as he supports me above him. Then in an instant, he has us flipped. Now he’s on top, fucking me roughly. I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t hurt a little, it’s just been so long…and he’s so big…and…. _Fuck! Jesus Fuck!_ His dick brushes a spot inside of me that makes me scream. He pauses, panting. Then he hits that spot again and _again_ until I’m yelling his name, feeling myself unraveling. My moans drive him into a frenzy, making him fuck me even harder. The sound of our skin slapping together just arousing both of us even more. He grunts with each thrust, and pretty soon we’re both sweating. My body is on fire, craving him every time he pulls out only to thrust back inside me again. I wrap my legs around him, making him shudder. I pull him down to me, kissing his neck. He hits me in just the right spot _again_ and I cry out. When he continues touching me there, I bite down hard on his shoulder, feeling like I’m going to burst. Then I lay back, watching this beautiful man above me. His face is sweaty and his hair is sticking to his forehead a bit. I'm admiring the way his muscles move, when he takes one of his hands and moves it down to my clit as he continues to fuck me. I come undone right then, and he bites his lip hard, watching me explode. I screw my eyes shut, riding out this incredible high as I feel his hips become erratic. He starts moaning uncontrollably, burying his face in the crook of my neck as he continues to pump in and out of me. He starts to slow just slightly, and then his hips stutter and he lets out a long groan as he finishes. He rests his forehead on mine, breathing heavily before he pulls out. That was _amazing._

He rolls over onto his back as I look over at him, both of us open-mouth panting. “God, Piper.” He takes another couple of breaths. “Fuck, that was—Jesus, that was incredible.” I rest my head on his chest, and he runs a hand slowly up and down my back. I nuzzle up against him, “Mmmm, when can we do that again?” I snicker. He laughs, exhaling. “Give me about 15-20 minutes.” We laugh, looking each other in the eyes, and he smiles. He pulls me closer, gently kissing my lips. He exhales through his nose, laughing lightly. “You warmer now?”

I laugh. “I’m hot.”

He grins, “hell yea you are.”

I push him playfully, “I didn’t mean like _that._ ”

He props himself up onto one elbow and cradles my head in his grip gently, kissing me again. I savor his taste, kissing him back eagerly.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting guys! I've been sick and it's midterm week! Hope y'all enjoy this chapter. It's a bit heavier than the other chapters, but I'm gonna make the next chapter super cute and romantic <3
> 
> Please leave comments! :)
> 
> Also, I'm really sorry if this chapter sucks :( I really wanted to post something because I've had strep and feel awful lol

The next morning after the rain has cleared, Arthur and I pack up our supplies and head back for Beaver Hollow.

When we arrive, I hitch my horse and unload our things, taking them into Arthur’s tent. Lenny comes up to Arthur, a wide smirk on his face. “So…where have y’all been this past week? Did you have any time for some lovin’?” He waggles his eyebrows. Arthur laughs, shaking his head. “Even if we did, I ain’t tellin’ you, kid.” He smiles back at Lenny.

Lenny grins, “So I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

 

 

That night, we gather around the campfire, sitting with Hosea, Sadie and Abigail. I’m leaning my head against Arthur’s shoulder as he lazily trails his fingers up and down my thigh.

I look up towards the others, “Where’s Dutch? I haven’t seen him all day.” I say, “Not that it makes me unhappy or anything.” I grin.

“He and Micah went to Annesburg I believe.” Hosea says.

“Great, when Micah’s in his ear all day somethin’ bad is bound the happen.” Arthur grunts.

I nod my head in agreement.   

 

After we grab some stew and say goodnight to everyone, I follow Arthur back to his tent. I’m shivering from the cool night air so he grabs some extra furs and blankets to put on the bed before I snuggle down. He climbs in next to me, cuddling up to me. He kisses me goodnight and we fall asleep.

 

 

The next morning when I wake up, Arthur is awake and working on his chores. I yawn, stretching, before I get dressed and ready for the day. I grab some breakfast before getting started on some laundry for the camp. After scrubbing the clothes, I walk to the edge of camp to hang them up to dry. When I turn around to go back, Micah’s face greets me, showing a smug smile. He’s holding a knife in one of his hands. I gasp, he’s _right_ in my face. “Thought you and Dutch were in Annesburg?” I swallow, not removing my eyes from his.

“Got back late last night.” He gently trails his knife up my thigh. I wince, trying to keep my breath steady.

“Mmm, you sure are a pretty little thing. Why should Arthur get all the fun when it comes to you?” He licks his lips, pressing himself into me. I shudder in disgust, feeling an erection in his trousers. “I heard you fucked him.” He breathes into my ear. I turn my head away from him. He grabs my chin in one hand, still holding a knife in the other. “You look at me when I talk to you, understand?”

I’m terrified. Micah is about to rape me and I’m at the edge of camp, so its not likely anyone will hear.

He opens his mouth, letting his hot tongue drift across my neck. I shudder, screwing my eyes shut, wishing this moment would just be over.

He lays me down on the ground, taking off my shirt. He trails the blade between my breasts and down the rest of my torso.

“I think you need a real man. Someone who can really fight for you.” Micah sneers.

I whimper, starting to cry.

He yanks on my hair, “Shush!”

He caresses my face lightly, then starts to unbutton my trousers. I cry silently, not wanting to have my hair pulled again.

I look down, watching him so close to me makes me nauseous. Suddenly, he grabs my hands, putting them above my head and tying them with some rope as we lay on the forest floor.

“I’m gonna take my time with you.” He starts feeling my breasts, “gonna make you feel real good. Better than Arthur ever could.” He smothers my lips with a sloppy, wet kiss. I whimper and struggle against him. “Shhh, shh, shh darlin’. No need to fight me.”

I bite down on his lip hard, causing him to pull back, yelping.

“ARTHUR!!” I scream.

Micah slaps me hard, stuffing a piece of cloth in my mouth.

“Now don’t make this difficult you little slut.” Micah’s eyes rage with anger. “You’re all mine for right now, and you’re gonna do exactly as I say.” He climbs on top of me again, unbuttoning my trousers and pulling them down. I squirm and writhe in the dirt, but his weight has me pinned. Right as he’s about to pull down my underwear, Arthur rams into him, knocking him off of me. I spit the cloth out of my mouth, sobbing. Arthur pins Micah to the ground, beating him senseless. At first, Micah can’t fight back because he’s too surprised, but then he’s able to snap out of it long enough to punch Arthur back.

“Aw c’mon, Cowpoke. You really think you could keep her all to yourself? Look at her.” Micah spits.

Arthur growls, slugging Micah again.

“I’m gonna make sure you never touch her again.” Arthur says angrily as he lands another blow to Micah’s jaw. He punches him again, and again, until finally Micah slumps to the ground, unconscious.

Arthur is breathing hard, shaking out his hands. He turns back around, running to me and kneeling in the dirt beside me. “Oh, Piper.” He looks as if he’s about to cry as he checks me for injuries. “I’m so sorry he did this to you.” He sounds frantic, terrified. Tears streak down my face as Arthur cuts the rope off of my hands. I throw my arms around him, crying. He grips me so tightly that I can barely breathe, but I feel _safe._ He clutches to me, petting my hair.

“We’re gettin’ out of here. We can’t stay here no more.” He whispers.

“Where will we go?” I ask hoarsely.

“Back to Lemoyne. We can stay in Saint Denis for the time being. At least get away from Micah and Dutch for a bit to figure something out.”

He pulls back, kissing my lips gently.

“I’m so sorry, Piper.” His eyes start to well with tears. “I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”

I shake my head, “It’s not your fault, it’s Micah’s.” I tell him.

Arthur helps me up, buttoning my shirt and trousers back up. “Are you ok? Can I get anything for you? Water? Coffee? Whiskey?” He pulls me against him again, resting my head against his chest. I laugh lightly against him, “I could take a shot or two of whiskey, yea.”

 

 

     


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I miss summertime?? :P Also, I assume kids had summer break in the 1800's??? Let's just say they did....ANDDDD I loved writing this chapter because it's so romantic but also because this is what our wholesome boah has always deserved!!!!

The only person we tell that we’re leaving is Sadie. She gives us both tight hugs, telling us to be safe. I tell her we’ll come back when we figure out what to do. Then we’re on our way before Micah regains consciousness.  

 

 

We check into the hotel in Saint Denis. It’s a beautiful building, right above a nice saloon. The room is decorated like a palace. We set our bags down, and I open up the windows to step out onto the balcony, basking in the warm sun. Arthur comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek. “Mmmm, this’ll be a nice little vacation for us.”

I laugh, “Exactly. Where neither one of us is injured, concussed, or freezing to death.”

He laughs heartily before kissing me again.

I slip out of my blouse and trousers, trading them for a light, summery dress. I braid my hair down my back and put on a sunhat. Arthur slips into a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt, suspenders, and trousers with boots. He leaves his hat on the bedside table and then we leave the room to go explore the city hand in hand.

 

We spend the day walking around, window shopping, and even getting some ice cream as we walk along the streets. We sit in the park for a while, watching people and carriages passing. It’s so nice. The air is hot but not too intense, and the humidity is relatively low today. There’s a slight breeze, and it ruffles Arthur’s hair a bit. It’s an absolutely perfect June afternoon.

 

 

After a full day of exploring, we head back to the hotel to take a nap in the luxurious bed. We’re wrapped up in each other blissfully.

When we wake up, it’s early evening. We both take baths and then we’re out on the streets again. The city is beautiful at night. String lights line the streets, and fireflies glow in the summer air. I take Arthur’s hand, giving him a smile as we head to a restaurant downtown. When we arrive, he pulls out a chair for me and we sit on the outside patio. We order some wine as we watch the horizon darken, the fireflies beaming even more brightly.

 

 

After dinner, we decide to go for a walk as the sun continues to set. We walk along the bridge that leads out of town, that runs over a large river. I jump up on the side railing, walking across it like a balance beam. Arthur laughs, watching me. Then I slip, falling in.

“Ooh fuck!” He says before jumping in after me. We splash into the water, and I’m laughing, so carefree. I feel like a kid again. So happy, so wonderful. That feeling when you’d finally get out of school for the summer, and you were free to do whatever you wanted. You could stay up late and play all day. That’s how Arthur makes me feel.

“Piper!” Arthur calls to me.

I giggle, “what?”

“Alligators!”

“Oh shit!” I forgot about the alligators! We swim like mad, making a beeline for the shore. When we crawl up onto the grassy banks we keep running, finally collapsing when we’re far enough away, laughing til our stomachs hurt. I roll over, sitting atop Arthur, kissing him lovingly. I laugh, looking down at us, completely soaked and not even caring. He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. He gazes into my eyes, and we stay like that for a minute.

“You know,” he begins, and then caresses my cheek, “I think I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you.”

I inhale, then relax into his caress.

“Mrs. Morgan.” He pauses, “What do you think about that?” He gives me a loving smile.

I feel overwhelmed with love for this man. I lean down and give him a passionate kiss.

“We wouldn’t be able to do it for a while. Have to figure out what to do with the gang, and we gotta get some money of our own. But I’d like to build you a nice house, get us a nice piece of land. How’s that sound?”

My eyes water, and I press my lips to his once more, wrapping my arms around his neck, still atop him in the grass.

“That sounds perfect.” I whisper.

“I love you” he kisses me gently.

“I love you too” I smile, getting up.

“C’mon, let’s get back to the hotel.” I take his hand and lead him back into the city.

 

That night we make love in our beautiful hotel room. Two people so blissfully in love, happier than they’ve ever been. I sigh against his chest as we fall asleep.

 


	26. Chapter 26

The next morning we wake up to the soft sunlight filtering into our room. I roll over, looking at Arthur lovingly. I admire the stubble on his strong jaw as his eyes flutter open. He smiles at me, and reaches out to caress my face. “Mornin’.” He drawls, still smiling at me.

I give him a soft kiss before sitting up on the edge of the bed, stretching my arms above my head. Arthur smooths his hand down my naked back, wrapping his strong arms around me from behind and kissing my cheek.

 

“We gotta figure out what to do about the gang.” I say over my shoulder, where Arthur is now resting his head. His hair smells so nice, like the lavender soap we used to bathe with yesterday.

 

“Mmm.” He thinks for a moment, kissing my bare shoulder. His beard tickles my skin. “I know we need to go back eventually, but I’m enjoyin’ this too much right now.” He whispers as his hand trails up my stomach to my chest, cupping one of my breasts.

I lean my head back against him as he gives it a gentle squeeze.

 

I laugh lightly, exhaling through my nose before he lets me get up to get dressed. He puts his muscular arms behind his head, watching me. _He makes me feel so beautiful._ I button up my trousers and put my bra on, to which he playfully pouts slightly, “Aww damn, I was enjoyin’ the view.” He grins.

 

I laugh, walking over to him and kissing his lips.

 

“What do you wanna do today?” He asks me before kissing me again.

 

I pull away from him, sitting up on the bed. “There’s apparently a huge bull gator ‘round these parts.”

He watches me thoughtfully.

“We could try an’ track him, see where it goes? We don’t have to kill him, just watch him. Then maybe we could explore a little more. And…” I pause for some added effect, “My home, Bluewater Marsh, I swear to god there’s the ghost of this poor woman that haunts that marsh every night. We should try to see her.” I grin.

He brushes some hair out of my face, chuckling. “A ghost, huh?”

I nod, “Oh yeah, I’ve never seen her, but I’ve heard her wailing in the night. Everyone calls her the Lady of Bluewater Marsh.” I shiver, and he laughs again.

 

“You don’t believe me?” I grin. “I can’t wait to see the look on your face tonight, then.”

 

He chuckles again, pulling me down into a kiss. “I love you.”

 

I pull back just slightly, and he caresses my face gently. “I love you too.” I smile.

 

“You ain’t like any other woman I’ve ever met.” He smiles, “You’re so adventurous and curious, and I love it. I think the first thing most people would say when they’re asked what they wanna do is probably shopping, or going out to eat.”

I snicker, “Well I am known to be kind of wild sometimes.”

 

He laughs, “Oh I know. In more ways than one.” He gives me a playful wink and a wide smirk tugs at his lips. I laugh, getting off the bed to finish getting dressed.

 

 

 

 

The air is warm and bright. Arthur takes a bedroll off of his saddle, laying it down for us while I unpack the basket I bought in Saint Denis. I take out two sandwiches, some apples that I cut up, and a bowl of potato salad that I found at the store.

I lay on my side, propped on my elbow while I eat my sandwich, looking out over the water. Arthur sits cross-legged on the blanket.

 

We talk and joke around, and somehow end up on the topic of past relationships.

“Arthur?”

“Hmm?” He takes another bite of his sandwich.

“You ever loved another woman?”

He looks down at his boots, brushing crumbs off his pants.

“I did. Long time ago.” He clears his throat, “her name was Mary.”

I nod, watching his face. He seems sullen when he talks about her.

“We were both real young, and her daddy didn’t like the fact that I was an outlaw.” He takes another bite. “I think she loved me, but ultimately decided that wasn’t the life she wanted. Said I’d never change.”

“She’s a fool.” I say, almost angrily. Arthur reaches out and squeezes my hand.

“She cared too much what other people thought I s’pose. I guess I’m glad it ended up that way, cuz I didn’t realize I had been pining after the wrong woman my whole life ‘til I met you.” He gives me a smile, glancing at me before taking another bite of his sandwich. “You ever loved another man?”

 

I return his smile, taking his hand in mine and kissing the back of it. Then I sigh, laying on my back and folding my hands on my stomach. “I did. His name was James. Nice enough guy at first, ‘til he ran off with some other girl.” I laugh bitterly at the memory.

Arthur leans down and kisses my forehead, smoothing my hair back.

 

“Now _he’s_ a real fool.” He whispers quietly while watching me. “A damn fool for doin’ that to you.”

 

Arthur finishes his food, laying down next to me. He lifts one of his arms up, “C’mere.”

I smile, pulling my body close to his and resting my head on his chest. He wraps his arm around me, rubbing his fingers up and down my arm. He presses a kiss to my temple.

 

“Piper Abner, I will never stop loving you.”

 

 

 

 

 

We bend down, inspecting fresh tracks in the mud. Huge footprints, each toe print topped with a deep claw mark. I breathe in and then exhale slowly before we continue.

Arthur crouches next to me, rifle in hand in case we need it. We poke our heads out of the bushes, looking into a clearing. The biggest alligator I have _ever_ seen lays before us, basking in the sun. Its skin is white, and its teeth gleam in the light. I look over at Arthur, who’s jaw is dropped.

“And I thought the regular ones were frightenin’.”

I chuckle quietly.

 

 

We watch the alligator for a while, even managing to take a picture. By the time we leave the swamp, the sun is starting to set.

We walk back to the road, mounting our horses and heading for Bluewater Marsh.

As we ride, I tell Arthur about the legend of the ghost woman. “She only appears in the dead of night. So we might need to set up camp.”

 

We do just that when we arrive, even making a fire to cook our dinner. Arthur has some venison in his satchel that he seasons with some mint.

 

We cuddle under the stars once the sun sets completely. I don’t even realize how late it’s gotten until Arthur looks at his pocket watch in the light of the fire. It reads 1:13 A.M.

My lips curve into a smile as I whisper, “you ready?”

Arthur grins back, “no way she’s real.”

“You’re about to eat your words.” I say as the faintest glow of blue light appears in the distance.

 

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry if that last chapter was rushed! Also this past week was Spring Break so I haven't had a chance to write at all :(
> 
> Things are starting to get really intense, and I really hope y'all enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Please leave a comment!

“I miss you…”

An eerie, disembodied voice echoes across the marsh. “I miss you so much…”

My blood chills in my veins. The woman sounds so sad, so tortured.

I turn my head towards Arthur, who’s mouth is drawn in a thin line, his jaw set. His eyes show curiosity, but also slight fear.

I reach between us and grab his hand. He squeezes mine in return.

He gets out his binoculars as the phantom continues to wail. An aura of light shines just across the water, and Arthur inhales sharply when he puts his eyes to the glass of the binoculars. He swallows slowly, handing them to me as I take a look myself.

A sad woman, pale and airy, stands by herself. She seems to be having a conversation but no one is there. She wears a beautiful southern gown, gesticulating her hands against the lonely darkness.

“Come back to me…” she turns her head in our direction, and my heart stops. Our eyes lock as she begins to fade, before disappearing completely.

 

I shiver, my spine feeling cold. Arthur exhales slowly through his mouth before we pack up our camp and mount our horses again.

 

When we’re out of the marsh I turn towards him. “You believe me now?” A smirk tugs at my lips, but my heart aches for the poor woman at the same time.

Arthur turns his head towards me, nodding. The shock is still evident on his face. “I wonder what happened to her…” he trails off, looking behind us.

 

 

 

By the time we reach our hotel in Saint Denis, we’re both exhausted. We climb into bed without even taking off our clothes and fall into a deep slumber.

 

 

The next morning when we wake up, we have a serious discussion about the gang. I sit on the edge of the bed facing the headboard, one leg tucked up under myself while the other hangs off the side of the mattress. Arthur lays on his side, propping up his head with his hand.

 

“After that beating you gave him, I’m hoping Micah will back off of me, at least for a little while.” I pause, thinking. “Things have really started getting out of hand with Dutch, though. I don’t know how much longer we have before he completely implodes.”

 

Arthur looks sad, and I feel a pang of guilt in my chest. This is the only life Arthur has ever known, and although Dutch has severely misguided him, Arthur still thinks of him as a father figure. I reach out and take his hand in mine. “We still have time; we’ll figure it out.”

He gives me a small smile before leaning in, holding the back of my head and giving me a long kiss.

 

 

 

 

 

We stop right outside camp, hitching our horses to their posts before dropping our things in Arthur’s tent. The camp is eerily quiet. An uneasy feeling turns in my stomach. I survey the camp. Nothing seems out of place, but it’s strange that it’s empty. Even Uncle is gone. I swallow a lump forming in my throat. I turn around on my heel when I hear hooves approaching the camp. The gang, mounted on each of their horses stops to look at me. Arthur comes out of his tent to join me. Micah is next to Dutch, his face an ugly combination of purple and blue bruising accompanied by swelling. He scowls at me deeply.

I scan the group, and Sadie gives me a warm smile, though she seems a bit nervous. Dutch looks down on us from his horse, a look of disgust when he glances between us.

 

“So kind of you to finally join us again.” He narrows his eyes. “What took you so long?”

I clench my fists at my sides, taking a brave step forward. “Your little henchman here tried to rape me.” I motion towards Micah, and several members of the gang gasp.

Dutch scowls, dismounting and striding up to me slowly. He looks me up and down, before leaning in closely to my face so that I can feel his breath on my skin. He takes a breath, “I can promise you I’d do a lot worse to you, Piper.”

My knees become wobbly, and before I know what’s happening, I hear a fist colliding with a jaw, a couple of grunts and an angry yell drift through the air before I snap out of my daze. Arthur has done it; he has finally done it. He holds his fists at his sides, shaking with rage as Dutch lays on the ground in shock, holding his face. Before Dutch can even mutter a word, Arthur is on him again, punching him and cursing. “Don’t you touch her!” He bellows. He continues to beat Dutch, pulling back his reddened fists again and again just to collide them with Dutch’s jaw. Arthur stops for a moment, still shaking as Dutch spits on the ground, his breathing labored. Blood pools in the dirt where he’s just spit.

 

Apparently everyone’s shock has worn off enough, because everybody starts dismounting. Micah tries to run towards me, trying to grab a fistful of my hair, but I punch him so hard in the stomach that he doubles over, wheezing. Sadie runs to me, trying to guide me away from everyone as they start bickering with each other. Then Arthur pulls out his revolver, aiming it between Dutch’s eyes. Tears stream down Arthur’s face, and his expression is twisted in confusion, anger and betrayal. “I don’t know you no more, Dutch.” Arthur’s chest heaves with each breath.

 

Everybody’s breathing _stops._ The camp becomes as quiet as it was before. Dutch lays still in the dirt, looking genuinely frightened. His eyes shift to Micah, and rage fills his features once more. He gets up slowly, and he knows Arthur doesn’t have the heart to shoot him.

“Son, put down the gun.” Dutch lifts his hands, feigning surrender. “Put it down so we can talk.”

Arthur shakes his head, tears still spilling onto his stubbled cheeks. His gun is still aimed at Dutch, though his hand begins to tremble. I see the slightest movement from Dutch, and I realize Arthur doesn’t register the fact that Dutch is reaching for his own gun.

 

“Arthur!” Without thinking, I whip out my pistol, squeezing the trigger quickly as I feel a bullet leave the chamber of the gun. Dutch cries out, gripping his leg where I’ve just shot him. That’s when Micah lunges forward, screaming my name. Arthur recovers from his shock quickly, turning his gun on Micah and shooting him in the gut.

He slumps down to his knees, sputtering up blood. He holds his bleeding stomach, gasping for breath. He looks between Arthur and I before collapsing into the dirt, shaking. He isn’t dead yet, he’ll die slowly and painfully, bleeding out.

Then shots start to ring out from all over. Arthur grabs my hand, and leads me into cover. Sadie follows us, loading her rifle. I look into the clearing to see Micah twitching in a pool of his own blood, grasping his stomach tightly. I have to admit, even though I despise Micah with every fiber of my being, I feel disturbed to the point of nausea at the sight in front of me.

 

I look to Arthur, who’s face is grim and I know that this is it. There’s no going back now. This is the end of the Van der Linde gang.  

 

 

 

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG I'm so sorry guys...school has been insane this semester and finals are next week! Literally losing my mind. Enjoy!

“Arthur?” I sit in cover between Sadie and Arthur, eyeing both of them nervously. My knees are still wobbly from Dutch’s venomous threat. The worst part is that his words were dripping with sincerity. Arthur reaches between us and gives my hand a hard squeeze. I watch his face for a few moments. His whole world is crashing down around him; I can’t imagine how scared he must be. He turns his face to me, looking at me, searching my eyes. His lips part ever so slightly, his breathing coming out ragged and shallow. His beautiful eyes glisten with tears as he watches me. He presses his forehead to mine, taking a deep breath and cupping the back of my head with his strong hands. “I love you…” he whispers almost inaudibly. He presses a kiss to my lips before rocking back on his heels and making eye contact with me. I chew my lip as anxiety bubbles in my stomach. _What is he about to do?_

Sadie reloads her rifle, shooting us both a glance. Arthur continues looking at me, before taking my hand and idly running his thumb back and forth over my knuckles. “I gotta finish this.”

 

I recoil slightly, but then grip his hand harder. “ _No.”_ My chest aches. “Let me help. You don’t have to do this alone.”

 

“Don’t want you to get hurt.” He tells me quietly.

 

“You can’t keep protecting me.” I whisper.

 

I _know_ what he’s about to do. It’s going to get him killed at worst and seriously injured at best. He’s going over to finish off Dutch, to finally slam the door on the only life he’s ever known.

 

I grip his arm when he starts to move away. “ _Don’t_ do this.” I plead with him. A frown etches my features and I notice my knuckles turning white from my vice-like grip on his arm. “Please…I don’t want to lose you.”

 

“I’ll be careful, promise.” He nods his head sternly. He kisses my forehead quickly, before adding another “I love you.”

 

He’s about to exit cover, checking the bullets in his revolver and taking a deep breath. He gives me a reassuring nod. “I ain’t ever gonna leave you darlin’.”

 

Silent tears fall down my cheeks as I watch him duck out of cover and start for Dutch. I bury my face in my hands, and Sadie wraps a tight arm around me, telling me Arthur will be safe. That he knows what he’s doing and the he knows he _has_ to do this.

 

The gunshots have stopped, and I take a chance to peek over the top of where we’re hiding. Micah still wriggles in the dirt, though his movements have become slow and uncoordinated. I clench my teeth as I continue looking around the camp. Everyone else seems to have gone into cover. I arch a brow in curiosity. Then I look towards the path that leads into camp and I understand. A huge posse of Pinkertons is riding into the clearing, armed to the teeth. Dutch is scrambling backwards in the dirt, clutching his bleeding leg. He leaves a trail of crimson in his wake. Right before Arthur is about to speak to him, he turns and sees the advancing army of Pinkertons. _Shit. How are we gonna make it out of this one?_

 

Arthur runs and ducks behind a tree when we hear shots echoing in the hills. A pinkerton is hit in the back and slumps off his horse. Then everyone starts to panic. The agents wheel their horses around to try to see the silent intruder. The mysterious gunman continues picking off Pinkertons with their shotgun, giving us time to try to sneak out of camp. Arthur locks eyes with me from across camp, and I beckon him over silently. He looks around, finding that Dutch is gone. He silently curses himself, but then nods to me amidst the ensuing chaos. He ducks and runs low to the ground, grabbing both me and Sadie’s arms. I look over to see John with Abigail and Jack, and Charles. Uncle has already scrambled away too. I turn my head just enough before we run down the hill on the side of camp to see old Susan Grimshaw exit from behind a boulder and pump her shotgun a few more times. She’s managed to pick off a good number of agents, but as soon as she steps out, bullets rip through her chest at a sickeningly fast pace. Her body twitches as bullets rip her flesh to shreds. _She sacrificed herself for us_ , I think sadly. She always seemed so harsh and severe but I guess she did care about us. _I’ll miss her._

 

Arthur holds my hand the whole time we run, and now that Miss Grimshaw is dead, the agents have returned their focus to finding the gang members who have scattered. I suck in lungfuls of air, never quite having enough as we break through the trees. We hear more gunshots, and I can only hope with all my heart that those shots missed their intended targets. They’re hunting us down like wild animals, trying to corral us into a meadow to pick us off one by one. _We are literally running for our lives._

 

Sadie peels off to the right, grabbing Arthur’s arm, who, still holding onto me, takes me with him. We keep running, my legs burning as we continue at a grueling pace. I look to my left, finding John and his family, along with Charles.

 

“They’ll have more trouble getting us if we split up.” I rasp between heaving breaths. Arthur gives me a stern look, “I ain’t lettin’ you outta my sight, Piper.  We can’t split up yet. Let’s lose them in the trees first.” We keep running, darting back and forth through the trees, trying to disorient our pursuers. It starts to work, as the sound of hooves and pursing footfalls grows more distant. We all stop somewhere along Roanoke Ridge, collapsing into the dirt, trying to catch our breath. Jack has started crying, and Abigail picks him up, holding him tightly against her chest.

 

John plants his hands on his hips, chest heaving. “I think we should try for New Austin, and I think we should split up into two different groups. It’ll make us harder to track.” John glances back towards Abigail and Jack. “We’re gonna make it through this.”

 

Arthur rubs a hand over his face. “Where in New Austin?”

 

“Let’s meet outside Coot’s Chapel, by Armadillo. Don’t matter how many days it takes you to get there, just get there alive.” He pauses, running a hand through his dark hair.

 

Charles speaks up, “I’ve ridden there before, it should only take about 2 or 3 days.”

 

John nods, “Ok, so if you’re not there by then,” he looks between Arthur and I, “then meet us further down, by Rio Bravo. We’re gonna try to get into Mexico. They can’t track us past the border.”

 

I nod, running forward and throwing my arms around John’s neck, stifling a cry. He wraps his arms around me, a bit surprised. “You be safe now, you hear? Don’t let nothin’ happen to your family.” I tell him sternly, my eyes welling with tears.

 

He puts his hand on my shoulder and then looks back to Arthur, “You too, Piper. We’re gonna survive this.” He gives a slight nod and then he and his family wander back into the woods, followed by Charles.

 

Sadie, Arthur and I exchange glances before we head in the opposite direction. We stay concealed in the trees while Sadie pulls out a map. Using a pencil, she traces a safe route to Coot’s chapel. We walk in silence for a bit, and then Arthur pulls me in tightly to his side. He kisses the top of my head. “We’re gonna be free darlin’. _Finally.”_   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post an update! Hope y'all like this chapter! Please leave a comment to make my day! :)

We walk in silence, Arthur still holding my hand. I look at my feet as we walk. My heart still pounds in my chest from the surge of adrenaline from minutes before.

 

I stop, turning to Arthur. He looks back at me, arching a brow. “You think it’s worth trying to get our supplies from camp after the Pinkertons leave?”

 

He seems to ponder this for a moment, clenching his jaw and then relaxing it. “I don’t think we should risk it. They could be hidin’ to see if any stragglers come back.” Sadie hums in agreement while staring at the map.

 

“What about our horses?” I ask worriedly.

 

“Think they all got spooked during the gunfight and ran off, but we can try to find ‘em.”

 

I nod, bringing two fingers to my lips and whistling loudly. Arthur and Sadie follow suit and we wait for a few moments before thunderous hoofbeats reach our ears. The first horse that comes into view is Arthur’s dapple grey Hungarian Half-Bred, followed by Sadie’s horse, and then my Andalusian in the back. Thankfully they all have their saddles and bridles on still. We have some provisions packed in the saddlebags, but not much. We quickly mount up, and I reach down to give my horse’s neck a loving pat. Arthur does the same for his mount before giving me a warm smile.

We urge the horses into a gallop, riding towards New Austin and not looking back.

 

 

We ride well into the night, marveling at the stars over our heads. Sadie lets out a loud yawn, stretching her arms above her head as we slow the horses to a walk. She rubs at her eyes tiredly, “Mind if we stop an’ make camp?”

 

Arthur and I nod, moving off the trail to set up some tents in the woods. We’re back in Lemoyne at this point, so we have to be careful not to set up camp near any alligators.

 

We get Sadie’s tent set up first, and she crawls inside, draws the flaps down, and is snoring softly in no time. Arthur holds down one side of our tent while I stake a wooden peg into the soft earth. Then I do the same on the other side. We set up our bedrolls and crawl inside, drawing down our own flaps as well. He lays down on his back, one arm curled underneath his head. He turns to look at me, and I find myself admiring the trimmed beard covering his strong jaw. He opens his other arm for me, and I scooch in close to his body, pressing myself against him and wrapping my arm across his torso. He gives my head a soft kiss and exhales lightly.

 

I brace my palm against his sturdy chest as I ease myself up onto my elbow to look down at him. “I know today was hard for you. I’m glad we’re ok.”

Arthur is silent for a moment, eyes searching mine.

“We’ll get to Dutch, Arthur. We just gotta take care of ourselves first.” He nods slowly, taking my hand in his and gingerly kissing my knuckles.

 

“I know we will.” He drawls. Taking a breath, his mouth curls into a slight smile. “I’m glad we’re ok too, darlin’.”

He squeezes my hand gently, guiding me back down to his body. He cradles my head in one hand, pressing his lips to mine. I kiss him back earnestly, fingers roaming up the fabric of his shirt. I grope blindly until I find his lapels, smoothing them down with my hands before my fingers twine into his dirty blonde hair, scratching his scalp lightly. He lets out a soft growl, pulling me even closer to him.

He pulls back, looking down at my now swollen lips, and he reaches out and runs his thumb across them. He lets out a soft moan looking at my flushed cheeks and tousled hair.  He rolls us over so that his body is pinning mine to the bedroll, and feeling his chest pressed so tightly against my breasts, I let out a rather loud moan. I immediately clap my hand over my mouth, stifling a laugh. But Arthur looks down at me with a hunger, an intensity. He slowly hooks one hand under my thigh, lifting my hips just a bit so that he can nestle his body between my legs. I let out a contented sigh as his lips find my collarbone, the scruff of his beard grazing across my sensitive skin. My fingers curl around his biceps as his lips trail back up to my mouth. I part our kiss with my tongue, earning a small shudder from Arthur.

 

My fingers twitch in anticipation before I give in and start on the buttons of his shirt. He lets out a low chuckle. “So _antsy_ tonight.” His eyes sparkle with amusement. I continue my work on his buttons, slowly revealing a bit of his chest hair. I roll up my eyes towards the top of the tent, overcome suddenly with a warmth in my lower belly. He bites his lip, “ _God,_ those little faces you make drive me absolutely _mad._ ” I manage a half-smirk before crushing my lips against his again. His grip tightens around my thigh, and he lets out a couple of shallow pants. I arch my back, making him curse under his breath as he latches a hand onto one of my breasts. His head dips back down again as his lips find the tender skin of my neck. I exhale slowly, reveling in the feel of him against me as he continues kneading my chest.

 

He pulls away, face flushed and hair messy. He gets back to work on his shirt buttons, fumbling clumsily as I try to suppress a quiet laugh. His eyes flick up from his shirt to meet mine for a brief moment, and I spread my legs wide for him. I close my eyes and open my mouth with my swollen lips and flushed cheeks and encourage him to undress faster.

I open my eyes to see his eyes hooded and jaw slack.  

 

“Fuuuuuuck.” He whispers as he runs a hand over his mouth, but instead of resuming his work on his shirt, he quickly undoes my belt buckle, pulls my pants down to my ankles, and runs his fingers along my wet slit. He groans, a deep rumble within his chest. “ _Christ.”_ He swallows, continuing to work his fingers back and forth. “ _So_ wet, darlin’…”

 

I look up at him, simply responding by nudging my hips closer to him, forcing his fingers inside of me. He moans at the sudden warmth enveloping him. I grind down onto his hand, grunting and panting. He runs his other hand through his messy hair before kissing me again and delving his fingers into me deeply. I arch my back against his touch, his mouth drowning out my needy moans. He pulls back, using his unoccupied hand to grab my hip while he speeds up with his fingers, curling them. “ _Fuck!”_ I yell, throwing an arm over my face, being overtaken by that same pooling warmth in my lower belly and between my thighs.

 

 

“Will you two _shut up?!”_ Sadie huffs from her tent. Arthur and I look at each other with wide eyes, mortified, before breaking out into a few low chuckles.

 

Arthur retracts his hand from my core, but before he can clean it off, I grab it and stick his fingers in my mouth, sucking off my own wetness. He groans, low and drawn out, before putting his other hand back down on the ground to steady himself. I smirk, licking my lips before calling out to Sadie, “Sorry Sadie! We’ll cut it out.” Arthur grins at me, mouthing “That’s _not_ fair” as I giggle beneath my hand. I pull my pants back up and roll over before Arthur lays back down, trying to adjust himself uncomfortably. “Damnit Piper,” he lets out a breathy chuckle, “You got me all riled up. I can’t sleep with this.” I turn my head, watching him point to the bulge in his trousers.

 

I look back in the direction of Sadie’s tent before putting a finger to my lips, motioning for Arthur to follow me. I get up, grabbing his hand, and we sneak out of camp. I lead him out of earshot of the camp as he pushes me up against a boulder, and I can feel his length hot and hard against me. Without skipping a beat, he reaches up and undoes my buttons. His fingers aren’t working as fast as he’d like them to, and frustrated, he rips my blouse the rest of the way. I gasp, so overcome with lust from seeing Arthur just _taking_ what he wants. He undoes my belt and yanks down my pants until I step out of them, leaving me completely bare for his eyes to wander over. He grunts as he undoes his garments, throwing them to the side before grabbing my hips and spinning me around so I’m facing the rock. I put my hands out to steady myself against the rock wall, and right as I begin to feel Arthur press into me, he stops, panting. Regaining some sense of control over himself, he asks, “S’okay if I’m a bit rough?”

 

I look back at him, “ _please.”_

 

He groans and grips my hips, fingers splaying across my sides and thumbs pushing into the flesh of my ass. He quickly fills me to the hilt, sending me forward in shock as I lock my elbows to keep myself from hitting the rock. _God, I’ve never seen him like this, but I love it._ Not used to this side of Arthur and the constant thrumming of him ramming himself in and out of me, I reach my orgasm embarrassingly fast. I whine loudly as he reaches a hand around to milk the rest of my orgasm by stroking my clit, all the while still filling me up roughly.

 

I come again after a few more minutes of his ministrations, and this time he comes with me. He slows his thrusts, panting hard. He pulls out, reaching an arm up to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. I turn back around, panting, breathless, and completely taken aback by what just happened. Arthur grabs my chin feather lightly, and presses a kiss to my lips. He pulls away and finds me just staring at him. He looks rather sheepish as he rubs his hands up and down my arms, seeing the goosebumps on my arms, but they’re not from being cold. “I-I’m sorry, Piper. I didn’t mean-” I cut him off with a long kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. He sighs happily as I pull back. “Don’t apologize. That was-it was amazing.” I pause before smiling coyly, “didn’t realize you liked to get rough sometimes.”

His cheeks blush, “Ah, not normally. I’ve just been so frustrated with Dutch and the gang, and now running down to New Austin. I felt like I was gonna burst.”

“Well, you should get rough like that more often, because…” I trail off, laughing lightly, “DAMN, Arthur.” He chuckles, pulling me against him. “Yeah?” He looks down at me through his lashes. I nod up at him, placing a hand against his chest, “yeah.”

 

We get dressed and head back to camp, hoping to find some sleep.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry guys! I've been working 2 jobs and have barely had any energy lately. I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! :) I'm sorry it's a bit short, I just wanted to get something out for you guys :)

We all wake early the next morning, packing up our tents swiftly and eating some jerky and tins full of biscuits for breakfast. The day grows hot fast, my lungs filling with the humid Lemoyne air. As we amble down the road on our horses, I scan our surroundings. Being back here means we’re in Raiders territory. I pull a hat out of my saddlebag and push it low on my head to cover my face.

“What’s with the hat?” Sadie snorts lightly, “makes you look all mysterious.”

“Raiders.” I reply quietly. Sadie nods, remembering my predicament with the rival gang. Arthur takes a rifle off of his shoulder as we ride, having it at the ready in case we need it. He gives me a small smile, “We’ll keep you safe, Piper.”

I smile back, warmth blooming in my chest.

 

Thankfully we never run into trouble, but it’s nice to know that I’m so safe and protected with Arthur and Sadie.

 

 

 

 

We ride for most of the day and make camp at night. The next day we set off again on a meager breakfast of salted beef and coffee. At this point in the trip, we’ve cut all the way across into West Elizabeth, where Arthur has to keep a very low profile.

 

We ride around the outskirts of Blackwater quietly and cross the river into New Austin. We decide to stop in Thieves’ Landing to restock on our supplies and then we’re on our way again. The sun has begun to set, setting the sky ablaze with orange and golden hues. I look over my shoulder to the right, admiring how the sun filters through Arthur’s hair. It reminds me of when we were at Clemens Point, when Sean, Arthur and I were about to torch the tobacco fields at the Gray’s place. I sigh at the memory, smiling to myself because that’s when I started to realize that I had feelings for Arthur. That my feelings for him were not mere attraction to him physically, but to who he was underneath. The kind of person he didn’t want other people to see. It always frustrated me that he would put up this cool, angry façade. The brutish right-hand man of the infamous Dutch van der Linde, capable of killing a man with his bare hands. I’m sure he thought he had everyone fooled, but not me. Not after we spent our nights in his tent talking and laughing with each other. I saw right through what he thought he was. _He was so much more than that._ Now that everything with the gang has gone to hell, I finally think he might be starting to believe that for the first time in his life.

 

We stop slightly east of Armadillo to make camp for the night. Arthur hunts down a deer and cooks the venison for us. The meat sizzles over the fire, its delicious scent wafting to my nose and making my mouth water. After nothing but coffee and biscuits and salted beef for the last few days, the fresh meat is a delicacy.

 

As we all sit around the fire that night, Sadie pulls out her map, finishing the rest of her venison and wiping her hands on her trousers. I lean back against Arthur, nestling my head against his shoulder. I feel him shift momentarily, and then his big arms envelop me, and his stubbled cheek rests against my hair. I sigh in utter contentment, so happy to have two people I love dearly by my side. I look down at my boots, digging the toe of my shoe into the sandy ground. I hum to myself, realizing I’ve never been into the desert before. “Hey, what do you think Mexico will be like?” I ask, still transfixed by my boot digging through the sand. Sadie looks up from her map, and looks out across the desert. Her face scrunches up as she thinks, “Hm, I dunno. Sorta like this I s’pose. Sandy desert, cacti, hot and dry. I hear they have beaches.” Sadie lifts her eyebrows in excitement, and I hear Arthur chuckle, feel his chest vibrate and rumble against my body. “As long as it ain’t like Guarma.” He shakes his head in disgust at the memory, and wraps his arms tighter around me.    

 

 

 “Hey, it weren’t no easier for us here when you were gone.” I jest lightly, recalling our escape from Shady Belle and hiding out in Lakay. Dread fills my chest at the memory of feeling the days slip into weeks without a single sign from Arthur. I recall the night he came back, I was sitting at the edge of the swamp, trying not to cry.

“Didn’t have the guys around to keep our spirits up when things went sour.” I smirk to myself, and then I turn my head up to Arthur, hiding my face against his neck, a serious feeling washing over me. “Missed you.” I whisper. His arms tighten around me, and then he brings one hand up to stroke at my hair, placing a gentle kiss against my head.

 

“Missed you too, darlin’.”

 

 

The next morning, we tear down our small camp and mount our horses. Sadie shows us how to get to Coot’s Chapel on the map. She leads the way as we make the short trek across the scorched earth, heat shimmering up in waves in front of us. An acrid smell fills the air, choking up my throat. We all let out a few harsh coughs. In the distance, we see billowing smoke. Sadie looks back at us uneasily, “that’s where we need to go. Hope everything is ok.”

 

I nod, swallowing gravely.  We press on through the smoke until we arrive at Coot’s Chapel, which is the source of the billowing smoke. The church is ablaze, flames licking up the sides, and even reaching out towards the tombstones. 3 horses are hitched not too far away, and 3 well-dressed men are kicking through some rubble. My chest constricts as I recognize who they are. _Pinkertons._   

 


End file.
